Nearly 80% of adults who require long-term care depend on a family member to provide that care. Many family caregivers are also struggling to juggle one or more jobs, child care, and other responsibilities. Being spread so thin makes self-care challenging, and their own health often suffers. Statistics show that caregivers’ health can decline faster than that of the people for whom they care. Here, licensed social worker Renée Bova-Collis offers some tips that are mutually beneficial for both you and your caregiver.

Practice Independence

Doing what you can for yourself helps you maintain the strength and skills you still have and takes some pressure off your caregiver. Even if a task takes you longer to complete, it allows your caregiver to tend to tasks that you’re unable to do. Partnering in this way actually winds up being more efficient and less stressful for both of you. 

Utilize Home-Based Services 

 While you may not be entirely comfortable inviting a stranger into your home, hiring some to help with personal care, housekeeping, meal preparation, and similar necessary activities can save your caregiver time and energy. You can contact your local Area Agency on Aging for information and recommendations regarding reliable service providers.

Establish a Routine 

A regular schedule is helpful for both you and your caregiver. Predictability can help your caregiver to manage their time and coordinate their other responsibilities. Write down your appointments and other upcoming events, even simple outings, on a calendar or in a datebook, and review it with your caregiver, so you can share expectations, work together to keep the schedule on track and celebrate successes as you check things off your list. 

Be an Active Communicator

It can be frustrating not to be able to do everything that you want to do on your own, the way you want it done. Remember that your caregiver is doing the best they can, and they can’t read your mind. Be as clear as you can with your requests and preferences. Share your feelings and challenges, and try to be open to your caregiver’s feelings and challenges. Speaking honestly can help ease your burdens and can improve both the caregiving and care receiving experience. 

Encourage Self-Care

Caregivers frequently compromise their own needs to provide for others, but you also have the power to provide care. Let your caregiver know that they are important, too, and encourage them to see to their own physical and mental health and wellbeing. Remind them of their doctor appointments, support them in taking a day off or doing something just for themselves. Help them accept help from others. 

Share Information and Resources

Knowledge can reduce fear and boost confidence. Many resources for patients can also benefit caregivers and vice-versa. Support groups also often offer sessions that patients and caregivers can attend separately or together. Neither you nor your caregiver are alone in your need for community and support from others who understand your situation intimately. Here are some valuable resources to explore:

• www.caregiverstress.com
• www.caregiver.com 
• https://aakp.org/center-for-patient-engagement-and-advocacy/support-groups/
• www.ironshad.com 
• www.kidneyspace.com

*Bova-Collis, R. A Caregiver’s Wish List: Tips on How Dialysis Patients Can Help Their Caregivers [Blog Post]. American Association of Kidney Patients.  https://aakp.org/a-caregivers-wish-list-tips-on-how-dialysis-patients-can-help-their-caregivers/