Finding A Foothold

An illness or injury can really change how a loved one can function in their home.  It doesn’t take much for the elderly to become weak and debilitated, resulting in them not being able to do the basic things for themselves that they use to do.

A common thing that I’ve seen lately is that many of the elderly patients that I am servicing are not admitted into the hospital for treatment after diagnosed with an illness or who have had minor injuries in their homes.  Lack of medical staff or the unavailability of a room results in them being sent home from the ER sicker and weaker than what we are accustomed to seeing in the home setting.

Therapy in the home becomes an important component to their rehabilitation — strengthening, pain mgmt and endurance training.  Temporary help and small changes in the home may also be all that is needed to prevent a bigger problem from occurring.  Not all in-home modifications and changes are big, some are quite simple and many people say, “I never would have thought of that.”

Hear Mary’s story.  

Know that parts of Mary’s story is also your story and my story.  We all share similar challenges and can overcome them.  We can improve our caregiving outcomes.

Reach out for help and support. 

Visit FindingAFoothold.com to see how.   

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We all respond to a crisis in different ways, but a common initial response that we all have is that we wish it wasn’t happening to us, that we could blink and make it go away! You may not be human if this isn’t the way you initially react to devastating news.

I have seen that choosing to remain hopeful and focusing only on things that you can change or improve is key to surviving, being available to function and hopefully thriving in the situation.  I’ve had a patient tell me recently, “I didn’t ask for this to happen to me but I’m gonna do the best I can with it.”  And she did!

Caregiver, please know that when your loved one sustains a debilitating injury or illness, you too have also sustained a loss.  I wish I could say that things always get physically better, sadly they don’t.  But where you choose to put your focus and energy will determine your path forward.  Let go of what you can’t change, get help.   You need a plan on how to physically and emotionally move forward.  Get support

 This topic inspired by a call from an actual client case.

What’s your caregiving challenge?

Visit the website at FindingAFoothold.com.  
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When parents are aging, have a debilitating diagnosis or have undergone an injury or surgery, they are not able to move about in their homes like they use to.They appear to be fairly cognitively intact, but they have bodies that are weak, frail and with pain —bodies that just don’t cooperate with what they want to do.  

They have already fallen, many times.   It’s only a matter of time before they fall again.  Suggestions you or therapists have made have all been rejected by them. 

Not only is this unsafe, this is hard on the adult child.  There is a lot of anxiety and stress that occurs in the adult child who is at work, worried about their parents.

There is no easy answer, no one size fits all answer to this situation.  But something needs to change.  Is it time for a different approach.

The Caregivers Finding A Foothold Podcast and Blog Episode 21🎙addresses this problem.  This topic inspired by a call from a listener onto the call in line.  📞

What’s your caregiving challenge? Visit the website at FindingAFoothold.com.

Louisiana has just incurred a storm -- Hurricane Ida which has caused much destruction and damage to our coastal parishes.  
Caregiving is also a storm, which touches many lives and if not properly entered into, it too can cause much destruction and damage to lives.

Caregiving is important.  It is in fact a very honorable role to assume.  It demonstrates a heart of love that look beyond only focusing on our own personal needs to meeting the needs of others.  

While caregiving is important, each task of care is not vital.  There are many care recipients -- elderly parents or disabled spouses who have "wants" that unfairly impact the lives of the caregiver.

Many caregivers make the mistake of jeopardizing other important relationships in their lives in order to meet the wants of a parent or disabled spouse.  Yes, we should be willing sacrifice sometimes to help others, but not to the extent that it destroys valuable relationships in our lives.

Setting boundaries and devising a plan for caregiving which includes acknowledging the needs of the caregiver's spouse and children is important.  Listen to the episode to receive guidance on how to tame the caregiving storm.

As a child, we often see our parents as strong and capable.  It's tough seeing them age and becoming frail.  We often see it happening, and there is nothing we can do to stop aging but we can do our part in keeping them safe. 

Diane is a listener who called into the call-in line who, like myself, knew that I would one day be my parent's caregiver.  Knowing that you will undertake the role and properly preparing for the role is two different things.

Becoming a caregiver requires physical preparation and emotional preparation.  Knowing how to care for them, keep them safe,  allow them to function at their max potential and finding time for your own self-care is not always easy to figure out.

Like Diane, it is important to reach out for help.  The sooner you reach out, the more apt you are to avoiding many of the pitfalls associated with caregiving -- frustration, anxiety, stress.

If you are a caregiver who is experiencing challenges caring for a loved one, visit our website at findingafoothold.com. 

On the website, learn how to reach out by calling  225-443-9447.  Like Diane,  share with us your caregiving challenges.

Also visit the consult page,  receive in-depth training and recommendations for your unique situation.

Subscribe to the podcast at www.findingafoothold.com 

Like us of Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/FindingAFoothold/

Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/findingafoothold/

Caregiving has many challenges.  There are some caregivers who have developed a team of support that allows them to care for their loved one and still be able to live fulfilled lives. They have the physical support and the financial resources  and all is well. This is great, but...

Well, it is rare.  This is not the case in the lives of many many caregivers.  There are many caregivers who are struggling. Many are at the end of what they are able to do.  So, what do you do when you can't continue to do things the way you are doing them?  There is no light at the end of your current tunnel and things are falling apart.  You can no longer physically or emotionally do what you are doing.

If this is you, it is time to make a change.  It is time to change how the care is being provided. It is time to learn a better way to do things.  It may be  time to bring others into your caregiving journey -- in home caregivers, respite care, or even long term placement.  These are only a few of the options available.

If you are a caregiver who is experiencing challenges caring for a loved one, visit our website at findingafoothold.com. 

On the website, learn how to reach out by calling  225-443-9447 to share with us your caregiving challenges.

Also visit the consult page,  receive in-depth training and recommendations for your unique situation.

Subscribe to the podcast at www.findingafoothold.com 

Like us of Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/FindingAFoothold/

Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/findingafoothold/

Meet Mr. Rubin, full-time caregiver for his wife of 55 years.  Hear his heart, his desire to take care of his wife in their home.  Hear how he evolved into his role, how we worked together to address some of the struggles he was having in caring for his wife, and how he made the adaptations in his technique and his environment which improved how he cared for his wife. Also hear him share how self-care is vital to the longevity of the caregiver.

If you are a caregiver who is experiencing challenges caring for a loved one, visit our website at findingafoothold.com. 

On the website, learn how to reach out by calling  225-443-9447 to share with us your caregiving challenges so that we can air your call and response on future episodes.

Also visit the consult page, and like Mr. Rubin, receive in-depth training and recommendations for your unique situation.

Subscribe to the podcast at www.findingafoothold.com 

Like us of Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/FindingAFoothold/

Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/findingafoothold/

Caregiving brings many challenges and concerns.  As a new caregiver, even when the role is temporary, because your loved one will likely fully recover, it can still be stressful.   There are things that are unfamiliar and there is the possibility of there being an injury due to improper techniques.

Episode 16 features calls from caregivers into the Caregivers Finding A Foothold podcast  call-in line.  

It’s a FREE call  with the responses aired on our podcast.

Caregivers Questions:

Listen to Episode 16 and hear advice given to callers who have the following concerns/questions: 

 •  Daughter, Anne, from Louisiana is helping her mom after mom has had a light stroke.  Mom is now wheelchair confined and finished home health therapy.  The problem is that mom does not want to do things the way the therapist taught her.  Mom insisting daughter do things that may cause injury to them both, daughter seeking advise on how to handle situation.

•Daughter, Connie, with question about how to transfer mom in and out the car.   Mom has had a knee replacement.

Caregiver-focus podcast.  Meet Mr. Milton.

Mr. Milton is the primary caregiver to his wife who was recently hospitalized after having several falls in the home.  She was hospitalized and diagnosed with a severe urinary tract infection and dehydration.  Upon discharge, it was recommended that she be admitted into a skilled nursing facility located in side of a nursing.  There, she was to receive intense therapy in order to get strong enough to then return home.

Wife refused to go to the skilled nursing unit, and was discharged home.  Hear the struggles Mr. Milton experienced when trying to care for his wife.  Hear how a plan was devised which allowed his wife to receive the care she needed while setting limitations on how the care was to be provided in the home setting.

Also remember to call in to the podcast at 225-443-9447 to share with us your caregiving challenges so that we can air your call and response on future episodes.

Like us of Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/FindingAFoothold/

Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/findingafoothold/

Caregiving brings many challenges and concerns.  It can be stressful because the role often come at a time when we are busy raising families, starting careers or planning for retirement. 

Episode 14 features calls from caregivers into the Caregivers Finding A Foothold podcast  call-in line.  

It’s a FREE call  with the responses aired on our podcast.

Caregivers Questions:

Listen to Episode 14 and hear advice given to callers who have the following concerns/questions: 

 •  A sister from Louisiana has been caring for sister who had shoulder surgery.  Sister needs to return to her home in another city but is uncertain if her sister will be able to take care of herself if she leaves now.   Sister wants to know how can she tell if her sister will be able to be safe and take care of herself.

•Daughter, Jeri, states her mom lives alone and has had 3 falls in 2 weeks.  Mom wears a call-alert necklace and calls to be helped off the floor.  Jeri wants to know how to know why she is falling and what to do.

 • Shirley, wife from Texas called.  Husband had a stroke.  His main problem is his change in vision on his left side and his inability to read, he’s having a hard time figuring out words on a page.  Her concern is that he wants to start back driving but she doesn’t think he’s safe and that he may heave a wreck.  Shirley wants to know what she can do.At the end of this podcast, I will provide some tips on planning your day to decrease injury risks and how to accept help from others.

Do you have a caregiving challenge?  Are you struggling to figure out the "HOW TO" of caregiving.  You can also call the podcast call-in line by visiting the website and you can call 225-443-9447.

Visit http://FindingAFoothold.com to learn about our community of caregivers.

Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/findingafoothold/

Like us on Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/FindingAFoothold/