Dignity Home Health & Hospice

Providing care for a loved one can be difficult and many caregivers find themselves feeling trapped by the responsibility and dont attend to their own needs. Conversely, those receiving care may feel guilt for being a burden or anger over their loss of abilities. Because it is such a difficult time for you and your loved one, it is important for you to take care of yourself as a caregiver. Some caregivers reach the point of burnout where they may find themselves feeling hopeless, resentful, or impatient. Below are some tips on how to avoid caregiver burnout:Know your sources of support. Don't be afraid to ask your family for support. If you are reluctant to ask for help, ask yourself, If my family knew what I was trying to do by myself, would they feel that they had missed an opportunity to serve their loved one?It is also helpful to know the resources in the community that can take some of the burden away. Aging Services provides in home assistance to seniors and also provides support to caregivers. Home Health and Hospice agencies can also provide supportive care and have social workers familiar with community resources.Meet your emotional needs. Caregivers often report feeling anger, grief, guilt, helplessness, fear, worry, loneliness and shame. Are there friends that will lend a listening ear? Would joining a caregiver support group be beneficial?Consider the care-giving relationship as a partnership. This Eden philosophy of care suggests that regardless of a persons physical or cognitive function, everyone can participate in their own care in some way. Helping your loved one feel needed and independent improves the relationship and can minimize the stress and frustration around daily tasks. Find time for activities that rejuvenate you. This can be as simple as journaling, taking a walk, or curling up with a good book. You need time to get away.Recognize all that you ARE doing. We often have a tendency to focus on our shortcomings and discount or discredit the positives. Keep in mind there is no such thing as a perfect caregiver. Recognize what you are doing is difficult and acknowledge the many things you are doing well.For more information on caregiver support and resources, contact Andrea Morgenegg, LCSW, HPMT, MT-BC, Dignity Home Health & Hospice (801) 492-4892. For more information on The Eden Philosphy, contact Diedra Kearney, Director of Community Education at Dignity Home Health & Hospice (801) 860-3801

For the past several years professionals in the senior healthcare field across the Nation have been focused on improving quality of life in long term care settings. This movement to de-institutionalize the way this care is delivered and instead focus on individualized, patient-centered called is called Culture Change.The Eden Alternative, one of the leading Culture Change authorities, shows how companionship, the opportunity to give meaningful care to other living things, and the variety and spontaneity that mark an enlivened environment, can succeed where pills and therapies often fail. Places that have adopted the Eden Alternative typically are filled with plants, animals, and are regularly visited by children. Culture Change focuses on all aspects of meaningful life, not just the medical or clinical components. The Eden Alternative promotes changing the culture of long-term care organizations through education and advocacy, and through hands-on implementation. The departmentalized, task-orientation of the current institutional model has created a culture that is characterized by pessimism, cynicism and stinginess. By moving away from the top-down bureaucratic approach to management and moving decision making closer to the Elders, where it has truly always belonged.The Mission:To improve the well-being of Elders and those who care for them by transforming the communities in which they live and work.The Vision:To eliminate loneliness, helplessness, and boredom.In addition, Eden Alternative is now poised to bring the principles and practices that are transforming long-term care to the larger community of Elders and their care partners living outside of institutions. For even a home can feel like an institution when an Elder requires assistance with daily living and the entire focus is placed upon the needs of the human body, and not the human spirit. With this in mind, the Eden Alternative now has a new initiative called Eden At Home, designed to touch the lives of Elders living at home and their care partners. Eden at Home aspires to transform the culture of care in our larger communities.Editors Note: This article was submitted by Diedra Kearny, Director of Community Education at Dignity Home Health & Hospice, and President of the Utah Elder Abuse Prevention Coalition. To learn more about Culture Change and The Eden Alternative, please contact Diedra at [email protected] or call 801-860-3801.