Personal Care is a Labor of Love

Love is patient; love is kind; love is personal. Love often involves the act of extending affection, effort, and genuine concern for the welfare of others. Love may have even guided you to care for an elderly or disabled family member to help them maintain as much of their own life at home as possible. This act of love has greatly increased the quality of life for the family member in need and enriched yours. But there is more to love than the act of caring for another. We can’t forget to care for ourselves. Here is what that might look like for the loved one who needs care and the caregiver.

For the loved one needing care, it’s all about organization, such as:

1. Propping assistive devices such as canes or walkers in position to be used rather than stored elsewhere.
2. Make sure glasses, hearing aids, and communication devices are always accessible — this might mean having multiple of each in case of dropping or misplacing.
3. In the bathroom, everything should be lined up for use. Toilet paper should be right next to the toilet as well as a stability bar and emergency call button. Everyone should be able to move seamlessly from toilet to sink to wash and dry hands. Other personal care items such as a hairbrush, toothbrush, and toothpaste should be lined up near the sink for accessibility.

For the caregiver, it’s all about self-care. Self-care is any activity undertaken by an individual for physical, psychological, and relational health. Examples include:

1. Adequate nutrition and sleep. This is the bare minimum for keeping you able to care for someone else in addition to yourself.
2. Exercise. Even a 10-minute walk outside has physical, mental, and emotional benefits.
3. Take time off without feeling guilty. Sometimes self-care is asking for help and using personal care services.

Personal care is just that — personal. It takes a lot of love and patience to take care of someone else’s intimate needs. The mission here at Griswold Home Care has always been to accommodate as many non-medical needs as we can by referring compassionate and experienced professional caregivers to assist the clients that we serve. This type of service helps adults with physical and mental challenges through daily activities they once did for themselves, including, but not limited to, bathing, preparing for bed, or simply brushing their teeth. Services can vary widely depending on individual needs, but the goal is to keep care recipients happy, healthy, and looking their best. Whether your circumstances require just for a few hours in the morning or evening to extended hours of care throughout the day, caregivers we refer are happy to schedule your services at the times and frequencies you desire to ultimately meet your needs. Find out more about the extent of services for which we refer caregivers on our website call us at (407) 740-7419.