Navigating first-day anxiety and uncertainty
These steps will help families, carers, and those receiving care navigate anxiety and uncertainty in those early days:
Prepare the caregiving team
Guiding the caregiving team to ask the person receiving care how they like things to be done in their home, and to defer to those preferences wherever possible and practical, helps give your loved one a greater sense of agency in their care and control over their environment. Knocking before entering a room for example or asking permission before giving physical assistance helps your loved one feel respected.
It is also important for the care team to speak directly to your loved and not over them, even when other family members are in the room. If an elderly client wants something that isn’t safe for them, the caregiver should be empathetic, firm and respectful when saying ‘no’. If possible, they should explain why this option isn’t possible. A professional, compassionate caregiver will understand how to manage these situations with care and respect – but with the safety of the client as the priority.
These measures are particularly important if your elderly loved one is living with dementia or cognitive decline. They help ensure your loved one is cared for safely, while reassuring them that they are in charge of their own home and body, and that caregivers are there to support them with empathy and respect.
Introduce the care gradually to build routine and familiarity
Starting with small, minimally-intrusive forms of help can ease the transition to accepting in-home eldercare. Having the caregiver do a short trial is a good place to start. They could do a few simple tasks in the home, such as cook your elderly loved one lunch, clean their kitchen, or even make them a cup of tea and look through some family photos – small interactions that can help build trust and a bond between them. Once your elderly loved one is comfortable with the caregiver being in their space, the amount of time the caregiver spends in the home and the range of tasks can be slowly increased. Learn more on how to help a loved one accept support in this section.
This incremental introduction allows familiarity, trust, and routine to slowly build. If safe to do so, it can be used to integrate each member of the caregiving team until all care needs are met and your loved one is safe, supported, and living their life to the fullest.
Communication with family members
Some families like multiple reports a day on things such as meals taken, activities, and the mood of their elderly loved one, as well as any health updates. Others prefer a weekly debrief from the eldercare team, or just to be kept informed of medical issues.
Whatever your preference, all members of the in-home eldercare team should have a clear point of contact within the family and be briefed on how often and in what format you would like communication.
The communication needs of your family may also evolve over time – reducing as you become more comfortable with the caregiving team or increasing when there are medical issues. Keeping eldercare staff up to date with the family’s preferences ensures that you feel involved in the care of your loved one without caregiving staff over-communicating.
Patience during the transition
Introducing in-home eldercare is not a quick fix; it is a relationship that grows and evolves over time, adapting with the needs of your elderly loved one. Periods of adjustment are normal, particularly at the start of the relationship and after changes in your loved-one’s requirements.
