Idea for Caregivers - Get Arranged

Being a caregiver for someone seriously ill is difficult and time-consuming work. For the caregiver who is new, taking on this new responsibility in an already hectic schedule is a challenge. This article will provide some organization techniques that can reduce the amount of time and effort needed to accomplish the tasks required and help to lessen stress .

Communication

In my time of caregiving I realized that communicating with family and friends to provide updates an overwhelming task. Sharing the same information repeatedly times is time-consuming. If you want to share information with a larger but curious group of people you could consider starting a blog or e-mail to update information once instead of multiple times. Responses to blog comments or e-mail messages can be made at a time that is convenient for the caregiver instead of each when a phone rings. Gaining control over the needed communications reduces anxiety and stress that comes with many interruptions in your day. I found that using a blog to facilitate communication has also helped to reduce the problems with misinterpreting information as it is passed from one person to the next. The blog or e-mail serves to be your "single source" of truth.

Medical History

A patient who is seriously ill often needs frequent visits to doctors, specialists and hospitals. One of the most frequently asked questions by health care providers included medications that the patient takes. The most frequent were questions regarding other health providers and insurance companies, pharmacies, past surgeries, and allergies. Inputting this information in one place, either manually or electronically, will ensure that you have all of the details readily available when needed. When maintained, this helps to reduce medical errors. Trying to recall information at a hospital or during an emergency is difficult and often leads to omission of critical information or sharing the wrong information. The other benefit is less stressful experience of the person caring for.

Medication List

A person who is severely ill frequently requires a variety of medications. Once again, if you record all medications to one place and include a dosing plan, you can avoid medication errors. Additionally, it allows you to take on the responsibility of distributing medications to other people when required and allows you to share that workload and focus on other tasks. If maintained the medication list will allow an easy recall of the information required by health professionals or emergency personnel.

Medicine Information

When you take multiple medicines, the risk of side effects increases dramatically. Pharmacies will provide information on medicines when they are dispensing medicines. Medicine information is also available via the Internet. The fact that you can keep all the information about medicines in one location enables you to quickly access the information you require in the event that you suspect someone you take care of has issues with their medications. When you have a serious health issue, you discover that several doctors are prescribing medication. The list helps you keep your doctors up-to-date so that you can avoid problems from the onset. If a side effect occurs, doctors typically have other medicine options.

Calendar

The person who is seriously ill often needs multiple health visits. I recommend using a calendar to record every appointment. It Elderly doesn't matter whether it's either paper or electronic. Having the calendar available minimizes the issues of scheduling too many appointments in one day or creating overlaps in appointments.

None of the suggestions I share are revolutionary, however every one of these tiny organization tips adds to the end result in time. Our minds are powerful, but often overwhelmed when trying to deal with too many issues at once or try to keep track of too many things. Untangling the mind from details lets you focus on the important subjects or other activities. Eliminating the mind from the details can also help reduce the anxiety you experience when taking care for your loved one.

Suddenly a Caregiver

Sharing a family's experience along with lessons to guide you navigate the daunting responsibility of becoming a family caregiver.

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