Humans are dynamic. We grow; we change; and surprisingly, we become older adults. Having an adult is not abnormal. It is an avenue to provide the best care and support to them. This is called assisted living and it is different from full-time nursing care. It is designed for self-reliant adults who need basic care like house-keeping, laundry service, health caring, home maintenance and transportation help round-the-clock. It covers their dressing, bathing, feeding, or using the bathroom.
This facility could be a part of retirement communities or near nursing homes. It could look like a standard high-rise apartment building, or it might look like a quiet suburban community. However, the look, adults are entitled to their own private apartment with convenient basic cares. Be it as it may, mind-noting the essential do’s and the don’ts of this facility make the caregiving service unrivalled. The do’s and don’ts may include that:
DO GIVE THEM ATTENTION
Listening is one of the best cares to humans. Older adults like to be given full attention. As a caregiver, it is important to adopt the listening skills when dealing with an older adult. They may be perplexed, stressed out and want to talk. The best care ever at this point is to stop whatever you’re doing; you don’t even have to speak. Just listen.
DO HAVE SOME SPACE
Being a caregiver, there are times where you could wane out. It is not unusual, so don’t freak because of your responsibilities as a caregiver. Just take some break. As a caregiver, you need to be replenished and refreshed mentally and emotionally to provide quality assisted living services. You could take a nap, have time with friends, get a massage or book a weekend tour to avoiding burnout.
DO LAUGH WITH THEM
It’s often good to laugh with an older adult when necessary at the memory care facilities. It is a way of being kind and giving them a sense of belonging. In the act of caregiving, laughing with older adults is a way of showing kindness towards them. Kindness makes them feel important. And if they are frail, smiling with older adult makes them recuperate faster.
DO HAVE EMPATHY
Notably, empathy should be expended by being calm, mild and sharing the same feeling towards older adults. It makes older adults feel loved and cherished. It may be difficult to provide because the older adult might be unrelated to us but showing good empathy makes older adults have a balanced psyche.
DON’T BE LEFT OUT
Doing a caregiving service won’t be effective when you don’t widen out about your adult health. Take interest in the ailment status of older adult you are caregiving. Find out about the latest health research like Alzheimer, Dementia etc. and other important things to provide them with the best possible care.
DON’T DISENGAGE OR DISCOURAGE ADULT IN FUN ACTIVITIES
Remarkably, memory care facilities can care for older adults by engaging and encouraging them in fun the activities they desire. Although older adults may find certain fun activities challenging to perform, an assisted living caregiver can help modify their favourite hobbies and fun activities to help them enjoy life at old age.
DON’T TREAT THEM LIKE A CHILD
As much as young ones relish independence, older folks do even more. Independence is important to them. So, caregivers shouldn’t deprive the older adult of it irrespective of their ailments. Rather their independence should be managed properly. They should be allowed to do as much as they can manage. To them, it retains their dignity also help to slow the growth of their disease.