Status Update: Caring for a Loved One
Despite the nuances that come with each unique relationship in our lives, the overarching goal when caring for a loved one is always the same: provide the best possible care for those we hold dear.
A Network of Love
The word “relationship” can be defined as an emotional or other connection between people. This definition calls to mind people close to us, such as our siblings, parents, partners, friends, and so on. However, each of us possesses a unique web of connections that create our families and social circles. From connections that are simple and loose—like your hairdresser who always cuts your hair just a little too short—to others, like family and close friends, that are deeper, more complex, and have profound influence over how you define yourself as a person and engage with society.
When unexpected events or hardships take place in the lives of those we love, you’re suddenly no longer just a parent, sibling, friend or partner; you are now also a caregiver. These relationships are consequently often tested, redefined, and strengthened. However, despite the significance of these life-altering circumstances, you’ll never see “Caring for a Loved One” as a relationship status update on someone’s Facebook page.
Caring for someone you’re close to comes with its own set of intricacies and dynamics unique to your relationship. The caregiver takes on significant responsibilities, and no matter how inspiring they are in the role, that will often need to rely on the extraordinary support and resilience found within the web of connections that define their relationships.
It Takes a Village
The news of sudden hardship or an unfortunate event is often hard to accept. And this information becomes even more urgent when it involves someone near and dear to you. Becoming a caregiver in any form comes with many considerations, and the following outlines some of the actions you can consider taking when assuming the caregiver role for someone in your life.
All Caring Types
After learning a loved one is experiencing a crisis, there are some basic next steps caregivers can benefit from taking:
Process Your Own Feelings
It is often said you must help yourself before you’ll be able to help anyone else. Learning that someone in your life has faced a life-altering scenario is often difficult news to hear. Take time to acknowledge and cope with your own feelings before caring for or providing support for the care receiver. There are numerous ways to go about this. A few common options include talking to a support group, speaking with a friend, or contacting another trusted advisor in your life.
Get Informed
It can be physically and emotionally draining for a care receiver to constantly educate those around them regarding their condition. So taking the initiative and the time to learn more about an individual’s diagnosis or situation is an easy way to support the one you love. Do your research by talking to your loved one’s doctors and nurses, reading articles and blogs, and consulting others within their circle. Understanding your care receiver’s unique state of affairs equips you with the information needed to make timely, well-informed decisions regarding their health and eases their burden.
Caring for a Family Member
Having the love and support of a family member can make all the difference in the world for someone facing an uphill battle:
Get Organized
A family member facing a crisis can be overwhelming for the entire family. With so much out of your control, it’s important to understand what you can manage and then be persistent in your efforts. Set aside time to ensure that you have all the information you may need to properly care for your loved one. Ways to help get organized include learning what lifestyle changes need to be made and making them, locating information about and understanding insurance plans, and keeping a record of all providers and anyone else who is conducting a service for your loved one.
Be Realistic and Seek Out Support
Another great way to get organized and provide exceptional care is by bringing in “reinforcements”. It’s important to be realistic with your personal expectations and to understand that caregiving can be group effort. You can do this by scheduling a meeting or creating an online group to inform family members and friends on the status of the care receiver. Discuss your caregiving wants and needs, answer questions, and divide duties among those able to help.
Caring for a Partner
For couples, a good way to mitigate the impact of changes is to try methods that have worked for other couples in similar scenarios:
Reassess Your Roles
In unexpected situations, it’s important to find ways in which both partners can contribute to the success of the relationship and household. An easy way to do this is to sit down as a couple to review your domestic responsibilities and determine how to divide them up based on the changed circumstances.
Avoid Isolation
Partners who become caregivers may feel isolated from the outside world. It is vital that you talk about your challenges with a trusted advisor, you practice self-care, and most importantly that you seek whatever support you feel that you personally need.
Caring for a Friend
Friendship is often the best medicine for someone facing adversity:
Stay in Touch
We all know the adage, “communication is key,” and this concept becomes even more important when supporting or caring for a friend in need. It’s important to maintain connection and check-in whenever you can. You may not always be able to be there in person, but you can send a card or a text, give them a call, read their blog or updates, set-up a video chat, or make the most of your time together when you are able to visit in person.
Offer Help
Most people find it hard to ask for help. But your friends most likely need—and would greatly appreciate—the assistance. You can offer to help with specific tasks, such as taking care of children and pets, or preparing a meal. You can also help by hiring someone to take errands or tasks such as meal preparation, personal care, lawn care, and shopping off their plate.
One-Stop Caregiving
The relationships that surround us don’t just make up our day-to-day living, they are the building blocks of our lives. But what happens when the established order of our lives is disrupted by an unanticipated event? The good news is there are resources that can help. However these resources are disparate and often require valuable time and energy to coordinate on behalf of both caregivers and care receivers.
Instead of managing a myriad of digital tools and resources, My PowerPak can help you grow, organize and communicate with your care receiver’s support circle in one simple and secure place. Learn more about what My PowerPak has to offer at mypowerpak.com.