AD | Collaborative post
At some point in your life you might find yourself in a situation where you may need to take care of a loved one for a whole host of reasons. One of these might be that your loved one has a disability of some kind and needs some additional help.
There can be so many things to think about if you are caring for someone with a disability, no matter what age they are. These are just some things to think about:
Be informed
Some disabilities are from birth while others come later in life. One of the best ways you can care for someone is to know as much as you can. Prepare yourself by doing a bit of research, by learning about that particular disability and what kind of care someone might need. The more you know, the better prepared you will be to help.
Home alterations
When it comes to equipment, some people need a lot with them at all times or you might need to make changes to the person’s home. This could be anything from making sure there are accessible bathrooms, rails in the right places or if the person needs constant oxygen at home, products from The Oxygen Store. Do some research into what your loved one needs and what might help them in the long run.
Managing a job and being a carer
This can be a tricky one as it really could depend on what kind of care your loved one needs. Not everyone needs round the clock care or maybe you’re sharing the responsibility with someone else. Of course, not everyone can afford to be a full time carer, especially with the rising cost of living.
If this is the case and you do have a job to manage as well as being a carer then there are a few things you might consider. Talking to your boss or place of employment and explaining the situation could be really helpful. This could mean being able to alter your work times to suit everyone. It could mean not having to worry if you’re a few minutes late if something happens at home. Of course, nothing is guaranteed but being upfront and honest with your employers could go a really long way.
However, if you find yourself in a situation where your loved one is needing 24 hour care, there are other options available prior to putting them into a care home. You can look into getting a regular career to come into their home to check on them throughout the day or you could become an NDIS provider (The National Disability Insurance Scheme) so it makes managing their finances easier as well as ensuring they are able to live life to their fullest ability.
Get support
Being a carer for someone is a huge responsibility and it can really take its toll. Having a support network for yourself is so important and it’s something you could do in many ways.
Family, if you have people close by, can be a fantastic support network. Talk to people about what support you might need and how they might be able to help. This could be taking some things on for themselves or maybe just making sure you can get out for a coffee on your own now and again.
There are so many online and in person support groups for carers so you might want to join one, or a few of these. It would be great to be part of a safe and friendly group where you can share any concerns or just have a vent if you’ve been having a bad week. It’s always nice to know there are people in similar situations.
Be realistic
Being realistic will go a long way to making you the best carer you can be. Sometimes, it’s easy to get carried away and think you can do everything when in reality, it just won’t happen that way.
Something that you might want to think about in terms of what’s achievable is travelling and days out, depending on what kind of disability your loved one has. Are you able to get to where you need to be easily? Will there be any issues on the way? Do you need to take any equipment with you? These are all things to consider.