CAREGIVERSwithWalking

Do you often meet families who are struggling to manage with caring for someone at home?

Walking with Caregivers is an informative guide for care professionals to learn essential caregiving knowledge to share with caregivers. It contains information to help assess caregivers’ capacity to care for their loved ones as well as the various care options and resources available in the community.

We know that sharing information is empowering. You can support caregivers in having a more rewarding caregiving journey with their loved ones at home.

CAREGIVERSwithWalking

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Caregiving is

Introduction

providing care for a family member or loved one who needs help with their physical, social or mental health needs. For example, their loved ones may be physically frail or may have dementia.

Identifying a Potential Caregiver

Speaking to healthcare professionals or coordinating care on their loved ones’ behalf.

Managing medications and clinical appointments.

A caregiver can be anyone who is involved in one or more of the following regular activities:

Helping to feed, bathe or dress a loved one who is bed-bound or frail.

Managing the household chores, meals, and providing financial support for their loved ones.

Checklist

A simple checklist to help you determine the caregiving stage caregivers are currently at.

How long has the caregiver been caring for a loved one?

Does the caregiver know if he/ she is burnt out?

Is the caregiver looking for a short break?

Does the caregiver feel helpless or require caregiver training?

Diagnosis stage to 1 year– Refer to ‘Beginning of Care’, Page 7.1 year and more – Refer to ‘During Caregiving’, Page 8.Moving on from caregiving – Refer to ‘End of Caregiving’, Page 13.

Refer to ‘Practise self-care’, Page 10.

Refer to ‘Respite Care’, Page 12.

Refer to ‘Care Options and Support Resources’, Page 14.

5Identifying a Potential CaregiverIntroduction4

Before Caregiving

Very often, many become caregivers overnight and find themselves unprepared to be caregivers.

As such, it is important to plan for caregiving. This includes thinking about the various care options and anticipating possible challenges and issues.

Each caregiving journey is different. Advise caregivers to initiate conversations with their loved ones on how they wish to be cared for, considering his/ her health and financial status etc.

This would help them better assess what is needed as a caregiver and be better prepared physically, emotionally and financially.

Encourage caregivers to be more open in communication and plan ahead based

on their loved ones’ wishes, care preferences,

health conditions and financial status.

Understanding their loved ones’ health conditions will help caregivers determine the resources and length of care required. For example, loved ones may require help with one or more activities of daily living, and their different health conditions may result in temporary, long term or indefinite care.

Physical health

They may experience mood swings and/ or become abusive, anxious, depressed or restless.

Emotional healthThey may not be able to focus on a task for as long as before, or may become more forgetful.

Mental health

Communication is Key

Beginning of Caregiving

Irregular sleeping patterns. E.g. sleeping at odd hours of the day

Neglecting hygiene. E.g. home suddenly becomes dirty/ messy

Fluctuations in weight. E.g. weight loss due to loss of appetite

They may become frailer and can no longer perform their daily routine in the same manner as in the past. E.g. they may feel more lethargic and fall more frequently although their environments have not changed.

Other signs of poor health include:

Understanding the different stages of caregiving

Caregivers must be mentally prepared that their loved ones could show some or all of the following changes over time:

Plan ahead

Assess the caregiving needs

Loss of interest in usual activities. E.g. no longer socialise with friends, or do the things he/ she used to like

Deterioration in sense of smell and taste. E.g. unable to smell if food has gone bad

Getting tired more easily E.g. need to take more breaks when walking some distances

7 Beginning of Caregiving 6 Before Caregiving

As a care professional, you can help to bridge the gap between the caregivers skill set and their loved ones’ care needs. Caregiver stress is often caused by the lack of caregiving knowledge to support the care of their loved ones. Caregiver training has tangible benefits that include:

Caregivers may not be able to identify signs of depression especially if caregiving takes place over an extended period of time.

Refer to “Practice self-care”, Page 10 and guide the caregivers on self-awareness and to seek professional help when needed.

Establish a support network or system

Attend caregiver training

Avoid caregivers’ burnout If caregivers prefer professional help, there are community care professionals available to support them.

For example, a General Practitioner (GP) can advise caregivers on their loved one’s medication, or a home care nurse can share how they may care for a wound, and a physiotherapist can show them simple strengthening exercises.

Care professionals

Advise caregivers to talk to a trusted family member or friend about their concerns, fears and anxieties. Where possible, involve them in the caregiving journey. For example, a family member or friend can help deliver meals or run errands on behalf of the caregivers.

Some caregivers may find support in their personal faith and beliefs or find comfort in penning down their thoughts and feelings in a diary.

Family members, friends and faith

During Caregiving

Providing technical skills and coping techniques relevant to their loved ones’ health condition

Alleviating caregivers’ stress and improve caregivers’ confidence

Improving communication between the caregivers and their loved ones

Addressing safety issues on home environment and medical equipment

Suggest to caregivers to join a caregivers’ support group where they can seek advice and share their experiences with other caregivers facing similar situations.

Fellow caregivers

Here are some suggestions that can help caregivers to avoid caregiver burnout:

Effective caregiving

9During Caregiving 8 During Caregiving

Most caregivers focus on caring for their loved ones at the expense of their own health. For effective caregiving, caregivers need to establish regular exercise regimes, healthy diets, regular health check-ups and stress-reducing activities as part of their daily routine. More importantly, caregivers must be able to recognise the symptoms of burnout so that they can seek professional help when they need to.

Caregivers’ burnout symptoms include:

Caregivers may not know where to seek help in the community and feel helpless. You may refer them to the following care options available for caregivers and their loved ones.

Physical healthThey

feel tired all the time

have loss of appetite

experience body aches, chest pain, tense muscles, headaches/ migraines, shortness of breath and insomnia

Practise self-care

Emotional and mental healthThey

get easily irritated, angry, or anxious

feel sad/ empty over a long period of time

are unable to focus or find themselves over worrying

have lost interest the in activities they used to enjoy doing

have lost confidence and feel like giving up

feel lonely/ isolated/ depressed and do not feel like talking to anyone

have suicidal thoughts, and feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt

For their loved ones

Opt for care options available for both caregivers and their loved ones

Home-based care Centre-based careCare professionals such as doctors, nurses, therapists and care staff can provide home-based services such as medical, nursing, and therapy or personal care for seniors. This will also help ease caregivers’ stress.

Care services such as rehabilitation programmes and social activities for the elderly in the daytime, before they return home to their families in the evening. Keeping seniors engaged at these centres allows their families to have a peace of mind when they are at work.

It is never easy for caregivers to open up and seek help from others. Encourage them to ask questions or seek help from the team that is looking after their loved ones. For example, talking to the doctor about treatment and care options, or talking to the social worker about the challenges they face with their loved one.

With effective communication, caregivers can make better decisions when they are well informed about their loved ones’ condition, the treatment process and options available and the care required.

Engage in effective communication

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Caregivers may not know what to do when the caregiving journey is ‘over’. This can happen when their loved one has recovered or passed on.

End of Caregiving

In moving on, encourage caregivers to take some time to reflect and write down their caregiving experience and memories of their loved ones. Through this process, caregivers may discover how much they have grown as individuals and become stronger and wiser because of the unique experience in caring for their loved ones.

Thereafter, caregivers need to continue with their lives and look at establishing new routines. This can mean going back to work, taking up a course, going on a trip and pursuing one’s passion.

Tips to enable caregivers to move on when their caregiving journey ends

Misconceptions of caregiving #1: Caregivers must stay strong all the time

#3: Caregivers are the only one who should shoulder all the care of their loved ones.

#2: The well-being of loved ones is more important than caregivers.

Caregiving can take a significant physical and psychological toll on the caregivers. Hence it is important to remind caregivers to take steps to maintain their health and well-being by taking regular breaks. While caregivers may find joy in caring for their loved ones, many also feel isolated, frustrated, sad or depressed and overwhelmed. You can assist caregivers to identify ways to manage their emotions and address more effectively.

The well-being of both caregivers and their loved ones are equally important. To provide the best care possible, caregivers need to recognise and address their physical, emotional and mental health needs. Remind caregivers that they need to get enough rest, exercise and eat healthily too so that they can ”recharge” and be a better caregiver.

Caregivers often struggle alone in the caregiving journey. Encourage them to join a support group, where they will be able to share their feelings of isolation and frustration. Many caregivers find comfort from other caregivers’ experiences especially if the group can relate to their caregiving challenges. Refer to ‘Care Options and Support Resources’, Page 14.

Centre-based weekend respite care

Provide support for caregivers to continue caring for loved ones by having an alternative care option on weekends

Suitable when the caregiver needs time off during the weekends to run errands or take a break

This service is offered at selected day care centres and transport subsidies are also available to support eligible seniors in traveling to and from the day care centres

Provide support for caregivers to continue caring for loved ones through brief breaks

Short-term relief for caregivers (7 to 30 days per calendar year)

Suitable when the foreign domestic helper goes on home leave

This service is offered at selected nursing homes

Respite care There are two types of respite care, centre-based weekend respite care and nursing home respite care. To find out which suits caregivers’ care needs the best, refer them to the healthcare team e.g. medical social worker or AICare Links.

Nursing home respite care

For caregivers

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Care Options and Support Resources

Share these touchpoints where they can find out more:

Other useful guides:

MEL is a directory of the available health and social services. It helps seniors and their caregivers easily locate nearby services in the vicinity.

Search “AICare Link” and “MEL” to download them for FREE on Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

The app lists and recommends the financial schemes a senior may be eligible for in six simple questions.

Sign up for courses where caregivers can learn to better take care of the loved ones’ daily care.

The Caregivers Training Grant provides an annual $200 subsidy for approved training courses.

Log onto www.silverpages.sg/CTG

Caregiver Training

MEL (Mobile E-care Locator)

AICare Link App

The Singapore Silver Line is a toll-free and one-stop national helpline

providing convenient access to information to all eldercare and caregiving support services.

Contact 1800-650-6060

Operating Hours Monday – Friday, 8.30am – 8.30pm, Saturday, 8.30am – 4pm.

Singapore Silver Line

Others:

A brochure that provides more information of the various caregiving topics which caregivers may want to learn more on.

A resource guide that provides useful tips and information on how to assist your loved ones in the aspects of daily living.

A brochure that provides in-depth practical information and self-care tips to help caregivers maintain their well-being.

A resource guide that provides information and safe tips moving your loved ones without causing any injury to yourself.

A Caregiver’s Guide to Avoid Burnout

Body Mechanics: Positioning, Moving and Transfers

Activities of Daily Living

CARING FORTHE ELDERLY 101A RESOURCE GUIDEFOR CAREGIVERS

A Caregiver’s Guide to Avoid Burnout A

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A cAregiver’s guide to Avoid burnout

Activities of DAily living

Body mechanics:positioning, moving and transfers

AICare Links are staffed by care consultants who can advise caregivers on

the various care services, resources, schemes and grants that can support them and their seniors in ageing at home and in the community. It is conveniently located in various hospitals and in the central district.

To find an AICare Link near you, visit: www.silverpages.sg/aicarelink

AICare Links

The Singapore Silver Pages is a ‘one-stop’ portal providing information on

topics such as caregivers training, online resource guides, and schemes and grants. Its aim is to empower seniors and caregivers in making care decisions better.

Log onto www.silverpages.sg

Singapore Silver Pages

Caring for the Elderly 101

There is a wide variety of care options and resources available to support caregivers and their loved ones at home and in the community.

There are additional resources available to support caregivers during their caregiving journey at www.silverpages.sg > Resource Library > Publications > Brochures

14 15Care Options and Support Resources Care Options and Support Resources

For more information on Community Care services :

Information is correct at time of print (March 2017)