Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/535137
The Caregiving Challenge Nearly 44 million adults in the United States currently provide care for an older lovedone. While it can be rewarding, it can also be challenging. STEP 1: FALL-PROOF THE HOME Whether your parent is returning home after a hospital stay or has been living in an environment that's not senior-friendly, fall prevention should be your top priority. Simple alterations, such as removing items from the fl oor to create wider walkways and installing grab bars in the shower, can help prevent dangerous accidents. STEP 2: WORK TOGETHER You shouldn't tackle caregiving alone, particularly when it comes to its most basic element: determining the level of care your parents need. In addition to discussing this topic with your parents, consult their primary care physician, friends and other children. Consider hiring a home health aide to help when you're unavailable. STEP 3: COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY Caregiving can be a delicate endeavor, especially if a parent has dementia. Be straightforward and clear in your communication, don't obsess over trying to get them to think or act rationally, and ground every conversation in love and respect. STEP 4: MAKE A PL AN If you're preparing meals for your parents, consider recipes that can be frozen and reheated throughout the week. Create a schedule to keep track of chores your parents need help with. Calculate a caregiving budget for grocery shopping and other expenses. Often, a parent's acute illness or injury, such as a stroke or broken bone, is the catalyst for caregiving by an adult child. For other families, gradual changes in a parent's mental condition, perhaps due to dementia, lead to a need for ongoing support that develops and increases as time passes. No matter how you came to be a caregiver, the following steps can help you navigate the experience. Support for Every Setting The medical journey that follows a person's acute illness or injury can be full of twists and turns. CHRISTUS Health's Continuing Care division is always ready to provide the care patients need in both the hospital and home environments. Patients may need a variety of in-home services and medical support once they leave the hospital, including skilled nursing, rehabilitation therapy, pain management, and personal and caregiver education. Home health and hospice services can ease the transition from hospital to home and give patients and families peace of mind. Senior patients may require intensive, extended treatment to stabilize and improve serious conditions such as pneumonia and heart failure. They are candidates for admission to acute care hospitals. For more information about CHRISTUS Continuing Care, visit christushealth.org/ christuscontinuingcare. Are you feeling stretched by the demands of caregiving? CHRISTUS HomeCare provides in-home medical services and education that can ease the burden of managing a parent's illness or injury. For more information, visit christushomecare.org. 10 christushealthsb.org