SO MUCH TO DO – SO LITTLE TIME
As a caregiver there is never enough time in the day – so get over it! Following up on Part 1 of,” HowTo Become An Organized Caregiver”, I remember reading a book entitled “The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer, fifth edition” - By Nancy L. Mace, M.A., and Peter V. Robins, M.D., M.P.H. Believe me, their title hit it right on the head, and actually in my opinion, they could have added a few more hours to the mix.
But, in today’s world caregiving is not just for seniors any more. The need for care can range from newborn to the elderly and everything in-between. But the one similarity, in my opinion, is the toll it takes on the caregiver. That’s why skills in organization and planning are essential for caregivers to acquire; otherwise you'll be a basket-case in no time at all.
MY 5 QUICK TIPS
1) House cleaning: This is a tip I picked up for a caregiver article that really helped me with keeping things tidy. I made part of my morning wardrobe a plastic grocery bag tied to my waist with a small bottle of spray cleaner, a sponge and paper towels. It came in handy to do spot clean ups for spills, wiping down trays, counters, and other oopsies. It saved me time and kept areas cleaned right away rather than going back to clean later
2) Laundry: With laundry if you were used to washing weekly, as a caregiver you may need to get used to washing 2 or 3 time per week depending on the state of health of your family member. But one thing I found helpful was having individual bags for items. It may take a little extra time up front, but you’ll thank your luck stars when you don’t have to go searching for socks that match. Also, the one plus is the variety of caregiver products you can use and toss, but, if you want clean clothes and sheets, you have to do laundry.
3). Cooking: One way I found to be really a time saver was to cook meats especially in large quantities. With a little meal planning, you can cook a main meat for example pot roast or chicken and plan several meals thru the week for stews, casseroles or freeze it for later use and the possibilities are endless.
4) Medications No doubt, if you’ve attended any workshops, or had a reason to go to senior centers, insurance companies, health fairs, pharmacies, you’ve probably collected a boat load of pill organizers. Don’t take these little containers lightly, you can setup medication a week in advance and that can save you a lot of time and you are less likely make mistakes if you’re in a rush.
Another panic button moment, that I hope you won’t experience while you’re a caregiver, is forgetting to check medication refill dates until you find you’re down to the last pill in the bottle, and have to beg on bended knee and for the pharmacy and the doctors to have pity on you. But, it took only one experience for me to get to better organized and get a dedicated calendar to jot down reorder dates.
5) Paperwork – Nothing is worse than having to look for medical reports, invoices insurance policies and paperwork when you need them right away. I invested in a quality large 3-ring binder with pockets front and back and dividers to keep reports and other information right at hand, and in case of an emergency, I had all the important documents on hand. It saved time and my nerves when I needed to have information
Finally, Caregivers have a lot on their plates and juggling so many things throughout the day can lead to problems such as physical and mental fatigue and forgetting key information. Jotting down things on scraps of paper or sticking medical reports in a drawer with regular household paperwork can cause you lots of needless stress.
Save your nerves – get organized.
Be Well - Stay Well - Because Caregivers Need Care Too!!
Coach Gloria
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Life Strategies/Wellness Coach & Patient Advocate
Owner: GJ Brown & Associates
Blog: Glo’s Caregiver Wellness Connection
Email: gbrown1gjba@gmail.com
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