All pdf BH Issue 33 Eng

Q & A
Caregiving for an elderly person who struggles
with an illness or depression takes a toll on
the caregivers. Remember, caregivers need
care, too. These suggestions will help you provide
effective and compassionate service and support
to your elder, while maintaining your own physical
and mental health.
Q: My 70-year-old aunt has arthritis with
wrist pain and is in a wheelchair. Can you
recommend some ways to arrange her
home environment?
A: When designing the home environment
for an elder with wrist pain, focus on basic
actions that require wrist twisting, turning,
pushing, and pulling such as turning doorknobs,
opening and closing drawers, and
twisting faucets. These benign activities can
become painful, impossible tasks to elders.
Consider installing easy to use doorknobs
and swivel faucets that don’t require twisting.
Ease of access is a must for physically challenged elders, whether
being able to walk or being in a wheelchair. Improve accessibility with
wide doorways (at least 90 centimeters). Clear areas so a wheelchair
is able to pass through easily. Sliding doors take up less room. Doorframes
should be at least one meter wide. Outside access to the home
and the inside, should ideally have no steps or stairways unless there
are elevators or ramps.
Reduce the risk of falls and leg and foot injuries with uncluttered
floor plans. You might want to remove unnecessary items that create
tripping hazards. To accommodate functional living needs and wheelchair
mobility, choose wheeled cabinets and furniture that you can
move quickly and easily.
Q: Caring for elders in addition to other
life responsibilities is stressful. How can
caregivers deal with stress?
A: Caregiving can take a toll on your health,
relationships, and state of mind, eventually
leading to burnout. How does one practice
healthy caregiving?
Ask for help. Do not try to do everything
yourself, which is a sure path to stress and
burnout. Spread out the responsibility.
Give yourself a break, grant permission to take
care of yourself. Get enough rest. Try to do
something that you enjoy, every day, for at
least 30 minutes each day.
Practice acceptance. Everyone has a limit.
Accepting that you need time off doesn’t make
you a selfish person. Looking after yourself
ultimately benefits the person you’re helping.
Focus on what you can do, not on what can’t
be done. Sometimes you cannot help feeling
bad about the situation you’re in. Rather than
stressing out over things you can’t control, stay
positive and focus on the way you choose to
react to problems.
Take care of your health. Don’t skip medical
appointments, eat healthily, and exercise
regularly.
Q: How can I help my depressed mother who resists my help?
A: Helping a depressed
person requires a deep
understanding. He or
she may need to seek
professional help. But
getting a depressed
person into treatment
can be difficult when
the negative ways of
thinking lead him or
her to believe that life
is hopeless. Family
members giving emotional support to the depressed person
makes a big difference.
recommends that you:
Do not try to “change” the depressed person. Be a good listener,
ready to offer support with unconditional understanding.
Patience and care are key.
Encourage and support without showing any annoyance or
frustration.
Stay positive, with both positive words and positive actions,
to inspire the person to see a brighter side of life.
Encourage participation in activities. Invite the person to join
you in uplifting activities. Be gently persistent if they decline.
Have realistic expectations. Even with optimal treatment,
recovering from depression doesn’t happen overnight.
If your loved one happens to be less anxious with you around,
maybe you can be the one to suggest getting a check-up, so the
doctor can rule out any medical causes of the depression. Refer
your loved one to a mental health medical professional. Your
unconditional support throughout treatment will be a stabilizing
force for the person to get better.
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