Why Efficiency Matters in Senior Caregiving?
There is no one set of rules that defines a caregiver. In some countries, they are referred to as caretakers or carers…Caregivers are more often family or friends or neighbors than other people from the communities.
Caregivers provide support in ways unexplainable… not all can be the best caregivers, as there are pros and cons of being one. In this age of instant gratification, everything in a person’s fingertips, is efficiency or does efficiency matter? That is tough question… a dilemma that can set you thinking for hours. One may argue, it does not if everything is a routine and known… Or does it is still a routine… why?? Because caregivers cost money, energy and time.
Ways efficiency in caregiving helps seniors:
- Save time, money, energy if using a routine, most important with seniors with cognitive disabilities or challenges?
- Planning ahead prepares for unknown and unwelcome surprises… like noticing no diapers at home , when one needs it instantly
- Understanding intimately, the intricacies of the lives of the seniors … or even finding similarities or dissimilarities… for it can avoid unnecessary arguments
- Agreeing or disagreeing in advance of a plan like outside activity, indoors… Meals…events etc. can save lots of …..
- Avoiding confrontations, as seniors have a certain way of doing things, and being efficient also calls for avoiding these… so tasks happen, like going to a dr’s office or taking a certain medicine…
- Saving on energy, like appliances, transportation… planning showers, meals, shopping, recipes, …preventing wasting of resources, repurposing and reusing as needed, necessary or legally/ socially approved.
- Conversation times can be true conversations about wellbeing, life’s simple pleasures and not about undone stuff and wrongly done stuff or even wrongly planned stuff
- Social interactions, more peace of mind, better sleep, decrease or eliminate burnout, crisis…
- Better health for both the caregiver and the senior, more likelihood of asking for support, being vocal about expectations is a good thing…
- Power of bliss, happiness and joys of caregiving is not lost, instead the opposite happens…
This blog is to help… not to change, but we are open to hearing comments on experiences by caregivers, please share… Caregiving education and efficiency in caregiving are critical to the aging in 22nd century… and beyond.
HYGGE AIM, Inc dba mihygge
Copyright 2020