When taking care of disabled individuals, certain precautions must be taken. One is documenting their medical history – this will allow other caregivers to be prepared in an emergency situation.
Another way is to give them as much autonomy as possible, which will improve both their physical health and mental wellbeing disability services Melbourne.
Take Care of Your Own Needs
Caregiving someone with disabilities can be immensely fulfilling; however, it’s also essential not to neglect yourself or your own needs. Make sure that you take enough restorative sleep, make time for friends and family members as well as look into respite careexternal link which provides short-term temporary caregiving so caregivers can have a break.
Dependent upon their disability type, individuals may require more assistance from others than others in terms of cooking, shopping, organising social situations and travelling for medical appointments; as well as assistance with personal care tasks like bathing and toileting.
Encourage your loved one to rely on themselves as much as possible and only seek assistance when necessary. Focus on what they can accomplish and celebrate their milestones; and try not to feel embarrassed for your family member when they use a wheelchair or white cane.
Create a Healthy Environment
An individual with disabilities often requires special equipment and services in their daily lives, including wheelchairs, beds, shoes and even canes. Their home must also be safe and accessible through ramps, wide doorways and braille signage – as well as providing effective communication channels between themselves and other people in their life.
People with disabilities deserve to feel understood and appreciated, not pitied or dismissed as “differently-abled” or “handicapable”. Instead, treat them with the same dignity and respect you would any other patient.
Caregiving for someone with disabilities can be incredibly expensive. Luckily, there are various government programs and tax credits/deductions that can help offset some of these costs. Respite care services offer another great solution; professional caregivers visit regularly or on an as-needed basis to provide relief to you while still giving your loved one top care. Respite care also serves to ensure they continue receiving quality support services – something which you might need as time goes on – giving your loved one the best care possible.
Take Care of Yourself
Caregiving for disabled people can be challenging and it can be easy to neglect yourself in favor of providing care to another. But it is essential that you take time for yourself so you can provide optimal support to the one in need.
Maintain a healthy sleep schedule, eating nutritious food and staying physically active are essential to being an effective caregiver. Furthermore, socializing in a constructive manner is also key; caregivers may feel isolated due to their duties; therefore it’s essential that carers seek out social activities or join disability support groups for emotional support and companionship.
As much as possible, it’s also essential that you gain as much information about the specific type of disability your loved one has. While dwelling on negative medical information can be counterproductive, learning what their capabilities and limitations are will enable you to create a care plan tailored more appropriately to their needs. Attending health appointments alongside them may help further your knowledge.
Encourage Your Loved One to Take Ownership
As much as it can be tempting to focus on what a disabled person can’t do, encouraging them to take charge of their situation can be both empowering and beneficial to both mental health and sense of purpose.
One way of helping them is encouraging them to write a will and arrange for their afterlife care needs. Although this topic is difficult, putting off making arrangements will only make matters harder in the end.
Another alternative would be introducing them to a disability carer that can assist them at home, providing much-needed respite for family carers so they can work, exercise, socialise or rest more comfortably. This service can be provided either regularly or as needed according to individual needs.
