caregiving

If you are entering into a caregiver role, or simply want to start preparing for the possibility, the following seven-step action plan will help you get started, clarify the steps you need to take, and outline key points you need to explore. Many of these steps are outlined in more detail throughout this book, with additional tools to help you through this process.

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Taking control of your parent’s personal matters has to be one of the most challenging areas for a family caregiver. It is crucial that you keep his or her important documents safe and organized. It is also important for you to understand what these documents mean. Rick Lauber, the author of The Successful Caregiver's Guide and Caregiver's Guide for Canadians, offers his tips on how to organize an aging parent's documents.

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Almost every one of us will provide some form of caregiving in our lives. Some people will be trained and employed in specific fields of caregiving, but most will be everyday people who volunteer their time to help friends, family members, and neighbors.

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Self-evaluation is crucial to caregivers. While you will be presented with many new responsibilities and challenges, you must know what you can do and the extent of your own personal limits.

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Caregiving is a tough job and for the growing number of families who are responsible for both their aging parents and dependent children, the responsibility can feel like climbing an endless mountain. The collective physical, financial and mental toll can be exhausting and even more so if you're also attempting to juggle a career and personal time....

Even if you are not a caregiver now, there is a high chance that you may act as a caregiver for a loved one at some point in the future, whether you are husband or wife, child, or friend.

Caregivers provide assistance that addresses someone’s mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual needs. Your role as a caregiver can exist on different levels and encompass varying responsibilities, but regardless of the type of caregiver you are, you provide valuable assistance to someone who needs it.

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It’s an oft-ignored concept by caregivers, yet it remains so important. When you do not properly care for yourself, how can you properly care for a parent? Whether you are independently or jointly caring for your aging parents, you must remember to also care for yourself.

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