Yolo Hospice

Adding Life to Days

Encouraging Words for Caregivers

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Caregiving is one of the most touching things you can do for a loved one. Though there are many struggles that a caregiver may go through, in the end, the rewards are something we can take with us for the rest of our lives. Another thing we can take with us on a day to day basis are words of encouragement. These uplifting thoughts can be used to lift our spirits at a moment’s notice and can help us to appreciate the important things in life. When going through a rough patch or a bad day, inspiration can come from the simplest of words. You will have many wonderful days a caregiver, but here is a little encouragement for the rough patches along the way.

Place a few of your favorite quotes around the house to serve as your daily dose of inspiration.

“If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed.”

~ David Viscott

“Out of clutter, find Simplicity. From discord, find Harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies Opportunity.”
~ Albert Einstein

“The greatest discovery of the 20th Century is that our attitude of mind determines our quality of life, not circumstances,”

~ William James

“In life you can never be too kind or too fair; everyone you meet is carrying a heavy load. When you go through your day expressing kindness and courtesy to all you meet, you leave behind a feeling of warmth and good cheer, and you help alleviate the burdens everyone is struggling with.”

~ Brian Tracy

“One person caring about another represents life’s greatest value”

~ Jim Rohn

“What we hope ever to do with ease we must learn first to do with diligence.”

~ Samuel Johnson

“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hopefully, these encouraging words of wisdom will lift your spirits. At Yolo Hospice, we believe caregiving is on of life’s most rewarding ventures. We hold great esteem for our family caregivers and know what contributions they make to their loved ones every single day. We hope sharing these words of encouragement will refresh and keep your spirits high.

Getting Help When A Loved One Suffers From Dementia

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A common misconception about dementia is that it is one specific disease. Dementia is more accurately defined as a group of symptoms that affects brain functions such as reasoning, memory and the ability to socialize successfully or even perform daily functions. Alzheimer’s is probably the most common form of what’s called progressive dementia.

While memory loss generally occurs in patients suffering from dementia, this alone does not indicate a person has dementia. Most commonly, in addition to memory loss, a person might experience impaired judgment, the ability to speak clearly, become disoriented and unable to perform daily functions such as keeping appointments or personal hygiene. Since individuals with advanced dementia cannot report their symptoms, these symptoms often are untreated, leaving them vulnerable to pain, difficulty breathing and various other conditions. And their families often struggle alone in their attempts to care for their loved ones with advanced dementia.
Caring for a loved one with dementia can be a very challenging journey. Often you will see the quality of your loved one’s life begin to diminish, this can take a serious toll on you, as their caregiver, as well. Simple acts of daily care are often combined with complex end-of-life decisions and painful feelings of bereavement. You are likely to feel overwhelmed at times, but the more information and support you gain, the more confidence you will have.

Yolo Hospice can help. With our holistic, multidisciplinary tradition of care, we can make a dramatic difference in the lives of dementia patients and their families. With our strong emphasis on safety, comfort, and support for the patient and you as their caregiver, you can begin to regain hope for your loved one’s quality of life and your own peace of mind. It becomes about easing discomfort and providing meaningful connections to family and loved ones.

Physical examinations at home, education, support and counseling are provided by our nurses, social workers, counselors, and chaplains. A certified nursing assistant can provide assistance with personal care. On-call nurses are available 24 hours a day in the case of a medical crisis. Hospice volunteers can give a break to the caregiver allowing them time away to run needed errands or enjoy some downtime with friends liking meeting for coffee or going to the movies.

The quality of life for dementia patients and their families can improve as the Yolo Hospice care team, in cooperation with your loved one’s physician, develops a care plan to meet the patient and family’s specific needs and share in the care. Never feel like you have to handle this journey alone, we are here to help.

Care for Caregivers, Know Your Limits

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As with any difficult period you go through in life, caring for a loved one is a job you might gladly accept, but the impact of caregiving on you, your physical and mental health and your relationship with your family, can be severe. The National Alliance of Caregivers has done extensive research on the subject:

“Nearly three quarters (72%) of family caregivers report not going to the doctor as often as they should and 55% say they skip doctor appointments for themselves.

63% of caregivers report having poor eating habits than non-caregivers and 58% indicate worse exercise habits than before caregiving responsibilities.

20% of employed female caregivers over 50 years old report symptoms of depression compared to 8% of their non-caregiving peers.”

By making you aware of these statistics, we hope you will take a few moments to reflect on just how important taking care of yourself is to the process of providing outstanding support to your loved one who needs you now.

Becoming a caregiver may or may not have been a conscious decision. You may be gladly caring for your spouse out of love and dedication. You feel it is your choice and duty to them and you would not want to be anywhere else during this time.

On the other hand, maybe you are the only child living close to your parent who is going through an end of life journey. You may be feeling the weight of the responsibility that has become yours. Either way, it is an admirable path you are on, but it is often a lonely one, so you should make a conscious effort to take care of yourself both physically and emotionally.

The real challenge is to know yourself and your limitations in order to take care of yourself. This precious time you have to spend with your loved one will be richer if you are healthy and whole.

Here are some ideas for doing just that. We hope some of them will provide you with avenues for caring for yourself in addition to your loved one.

First and foremost, give yourself and your loved one the best outside help and support you can find. You may feel like you have to do this all alone. That is a common misconception. You are most certainly not alone. Hospices, like Yolo Hospice can provide a lot of support to both the patient and the family. Families caring for a loved one can benefit from the support our hospice caregiving team brings. We can share some of the responsibilities of providing day-to-day care.

Educate your self about your loved one’s disease. The more you know, the less fearful it will seem and you will be better equipped to help your loved one if you understand what’s going on. Check out information from the library, online information sources and ask the doctor or your Yolo Hospice team any questions about things you don’t understand.

Keep a Caregiver’s Notebook. Use it for record keeping or writing down those questions that come up so you don’t forget to ask them later. The notebook can include a calendar to keep track of your own appointments so you don’t miss medical appointments, yoga classes, group support meeting or therapy sessions. You can record when medications need to be taken by the family member you are caring for as well as your own regular medications if you are taking any.

On that calendar, make sure you schedule caregiver breaks, which can be provided by a hospice volunteer or family and friends. If you strive to follow your Caregiver’s calendar, you will keep yourself healthier and be the best caregiver you can be.

The little things CAN make a difference. Things like eating right, exercising, expressing yourself by writing or through art. Watch movies you like with the loved one you are caring and invite other family members or friends so you have others around you. If you love books, read them aloud or get books on CD. The loved one you are caring for will enjoy them and so will you.

Attend a support group. Emotional health is just as important as physical health. There are many organizations in your community willing to assist with emotional support. Yolo Hospice offers a variety of support groups you can take advantage of.

Remember to follow the Cardinal Rule of Caregiving: Take care of yourself so you CAN take care of your loved one.

Dealing with Caregiver Stress

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Most people are thrown into caregiving without much training or notification. We are expected to care for our loved ones as if this comes naturally to us. The truth is most people are unprepared for the constant strains that caring for another adult brings. Some of the most common stressors in caregiving are a lack of preparation, insufficient knowledge and understanding of the disease, and an inability to ask for and accept help.

You have probably heard the question, “Are you taking care of yourself?” When you are busy taking care of your loved one, who is taking care of you? Think about it this way – when you are on an airplane, and the attendants are going through the “in the event we lose cabin pressure” protocol, whose mask are you supposed to put on first? Yours.

Caring for a loved one is a lot like losing air pressure. We begin losing oxygen and are then unable to provide care for our loved ones. Studies have shown that a high number of informal family caregivers become secondary patients. That is, they will develop illnesses and physical ailments that impede their ability to provide care, with a full 63% higher mortality rate than their non-caregiving counterparts.

So what can you do to avoid this? Below are some simple things that you can do to take care of you:

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  • Gather information and get organized. Local organizations exist to help you along the way.
  • Exercise, take a walk, or some physical activity you enjoy.
  • Take the quiet moments, after your loved one has gone to sleep or before they wake to focus on you. Read a book, listen to music, anything that calms you.
  • Ask for and accept help.

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Remember, the most crucial part of caring for a loved one is that you remain healthy and happy during the journey.

 

Contact Us

Yolo Hospice
1909 Galileo Court, Suite A
Davis, CA 95618
(530) 758-5566 or (800) 491-7711

Service Area

Yolo Hospice serves Colusa, Sacramento, Solano, Sutter, and Yolo Counties.

View cities and our Service Area Map

Yolo Hospice

Yolo Hospice

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