Being a caregiver is a great responsibility and it can also be considered ‘preventive medicine.’ If you have never heard of that term before, consider this: when you take measures to encourage positive future health and well-being for yourself, then you are taking part in preventive medicine.
When you take doctor’s directives and potentially even medication or other medical supplements to improve your long-term health, then you are said to be taking part in preventive medicine.
So how could being a caregiver have anything to do with preventive medicine?
When you are providing home care to an individual who may require some assistance, but who might not need a lot of assistance, you are helping to improve their level of safety and basic care. When you are encouraging them to get out and enjoy life, to take part in various activities, or to even take care of themselves better than they might have been lately, then you are improving their overall health.
The happier that someone is, the more they tend to focus on taking care of themselves. The more active that a person is, the more they also prefer to continue taking care of themselves. Providing home care is not just about helping someone with the basic care that they can no longer do on their own, or helping them recover from an illness or ailment. It’s about supporting an elderly individual in their home. It’s about ensuring that they have the right tools and capabilities to continue to be safe and as healthy as possible, and to take advantage of all of the opportunities that still exist for them at this time.
When you’re a caregiver, you are providing a powerful support system to the elderly patient in your care. You should be focused on helping them eat properly, get the right level of exercise, and to do the things that they should be doing (that their doctor prescribes), including taking the right medications at the right time so that they are as healthy as possible.
When you provide this level of care to a person who may be showing some signs of having trouble, but who aren’t ill, injured, or recovering from an ailment, you should think about it as preventive care. Sometimes, thinking ahead and doing what’s right for a person right now can make a world of difference for them in the future. Now, that’s being a great caregiver.
The caregivers at Home Care Matters are available to talk with you and your family about all of your elder care needs. Home Care Matters is a home care agency providing quality and affordable caregivers in Flowery Branch, GA and the surrounding areas. Call (678) 828-2195 for more information.
Valerie has the unique experience with home care as she has experienced it from both ends of the spectrum, as a caregiver and as needing care herself as a cancer survivor. Valerie says, “Taking care of someone you love is a physically, mentally and demanding labor of love.Taking care of my mom was the hardest thing I have ever done. It has given me an insight and perspective not many people understand unless you are doing it or have done it.I loved taking care of my mom.I love helping others take care of their love ones too.And now that I’ve been sick, it’s given me a whole new level of empathy and understanding for those who are sick and need help.”
Valerie’s schedule varies daily, but she loves visiting with our clients, families, caregivers, our network partners and being in the office.Says Valerie, “Every day is different, but I wake up excited about what we do, inspired by our team, clients and caregivers.I strive to be a resource to the community.I love my team and I love what we do every day. I like to think my mom would be proud.”
You can reach Valerie by email (Valerie@homecarematters.com) or in our office (770.965.4004).
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