If you’ve read our blog long enough, you know we are advocates for caregivers.

Around half of all the content we put out is to help you as a caregiver provide your loved ones with the best care.

But let’s be honest, even human angels like you make mistakes sometimes.

And in today’s post, we are going to raise those issues; because ultimately, we want you to be the very best caregiver there is.

Three mistakes you might be making as a caregiver

You don’t take care of yourself

An empty vessel cannot care for others because there is nothing to pour from.

This is why we’re adamant here about taking care of yourself as a caregiver.

There are a myriad of ways to take care of yourself so that your loved one can be enriched and you can read more on self care for caregivers here.

But here are a handful of thoughts for you.

• Realize that you’re not a superhuman. You are amazing by all standards but you cannot do it all. Give yourself grace.
• Talk to a mental health professional. It is not easy to care for a loved one with dementia. Especially since you may have seen how sharp and quick-witted your loved one was before dementia set in. Therefore, give yourself permission to talk to a mental health professional so you can understand your feelings.
• Get help! If you live in the Greater San Diego area or in Orange County, Green Tree Home Care is happy to assist your loved one with all their needs so they can continue to live in their home. Give us a call today.

You haven’t hired a fiduciary for your elderly loved one (or helped them get one)

If you live far away from your loved one and they have financial assets that need managing, you should hire a fiduciary that will help them manage their money.

Money mismanagement is a common reason why families have quarrels that last for years.

Hiring a fiduciary is helpful in preventing these.

Start the conversation on this early before it is too late.

You haven’t looked for free resources that may be available to you

Although there may be a lot of bureaucracy involved, there are a number of free resources that you and your loved one could take advantage of.

Websites like eldercare.gov are good in helping you find these resources.

 

So are you making any of these caregiver mistakes?

The good news is that any day is a good day to rectify them!