There are some things you can never really prepare for. All of a sudden, life takes a sharp turn and your life becomes that of another. You’ve been entrusted into the role of a caregiver. The allowance of time given to adapt is, at best, meagre and this responsibility usually fall onto family members. We’ve put together some resources to help you navigate through this period of uncertainty and adjustment.
In Singapore, the majority of caregivers are the patient’s children who are also juggling the needs of their own individual families. If the medical condition of their loved one improves with time, the caregiver is likely to recover from the stress of the difficult period. However, when the patient’s condition does not improve, this stress is prolonged and it becomes chronic. Chronic stress is the most likely cause of caregiver burnout. Find out more about Caregiver Stress here.
Families caught up with providing quality care for their loved ones often do not recognise that their own well-being as a caregiver is as equally important as the patient’s quality of life. Caregiver stress can also be linked to depression and many other health problems. Read Caregiver Dilemma: Quality of Care & Quality of Life.
When it comes to caring for someone, good personal hygiene care is essential to maintain the patient’s morale and to prevent further health problems. Engaging in good hygiene can promote comfort and health, prevent body and breath odour, and improve skin circulation. Here’s our caregiver’s guide on the different aspects of personal hygiene.
For those caring for a loved one who require a urinary catheter, here is a guide to Urinary Catheter. A Urinary Catheter is generally used when the patient is unable to urinate by him/ herself so as to prevent a build up in urine and cause pressure in the kidneys. For example, if the patient faces urine obstruction due to prostate enlargement or nerve damage. A urinary catheter is also used for patients who are unable to control their urine.
Lastly, we would also like to raise awareness regarding elderly undernutrition. Undernutrition in older adults can lead to poor wound healing, decline in physical function and poor quality of life. It is also linked with increased risk of infection and death. Identifying early signs of undernutrition can help prevent complications and we’ve put together a guide to spot the early tell-tale signs of undernutrition here
After reading our recommendations, we hope you are better poised to manage your caregiver stress and the well-being of your loved one under your care. For more caregiving guides, click here to access more articles to help you care with confidence.
At Jaga-Me, we believe that healthcare should be a social good – it is a basic human need, and should be available to as many people as possible. We aim to deliver the highest quality care through innovation and a commitment to building meaningful relationships.
Save travelling and long wait times at the hospitals. Get specialised medical treatments:
– Urinary Catheterisation
– Complex Wound Care
– Nasogastric (NG) Feeding Tube
– IV Infusion Therapy
Jaga-Me: Your Trusted Medical Home Care Professional
