Chances are if you are a caregiver for an elderly loved one, you are helping her manage multiple health conditions. More than two-thirds of seniors have at least two chronic health conditions that they must try to manage or need help managing from their caregivers. Here are a few tips for family caregivers to organize and maintain their senior loved one’s care, and how care management services can help.

Five Tips to Help You Manage It All

Having a plan (even if it’s not fully formed yet) will help you manage changes that may come up as you care for your loved one more easily and also be able to pivot when needed.

Coordinate Your Loved One’s Care Team

If possible, make sure all the specialists, pharmacists, clinicians, etc. have access to all of your loved one’s medical records. You may not know how her arthritis medications will affect her chemotherapy treatment, but they will so it’s important that you always fully disclose all health conditions and treatments to each care provider. If your loved one has a change in medication or treatment, make sure all care professionals are aware of that change as well.

Simplify Medication Management

The first step is to make sure your loved one receives all of her medications from one pharmacy if possible. This will keep all of your medication in one place. Then, if possible, talk to your loved one’s doctor about when and how each medication needs to be taken so that taking multiple medications doesn’t mean having to continually stop what your loved one is doing to take her medication. When or if medications change, make sure to review all medication management to ensure that the new or changed medication will fit the schedule.

Use Technology as Needed

Technology may seem overwhelming at times, but even “simple” technology can help make managing your loved one’s health issues easier. Setting up timers on the phone or a device like Alexa can help remind you and your loved one when a medication or treatment is needed. Some apps can be downloaded to help with medication, symptoms, or appointment tracking.

Make and Support Lifestyle Changes

Some lifestyle changes can positively affect multiple health conditions. For example, losing weight may improve your loved one’s arthritis and diabetes. Eating well can provide more energy and better sleep. Look at implementing lifestyle changes that have multiple positive health benefits.

Line Up Care Management

It can be difficult for anyone to remember all of the appointments, communicate all of the important information to every doctor, and even find the best resources to ensure your loved one has the best care for all of her health conditions. A care management team can work with you and your loved one to help you make the entire process of managing her health easier for you so you can enjoy more of the wonderful aspects of spending time with your loved one instead of using your time to research, read, and remember everything. A care management team will customize their care management to the areas you feel you need the most help with and can foresee future issues that may arise so that you are ready when they do.

Reference
https://www.uhc.com/news-articles/healthy-living/5-simple-strategies-for-managing-multiple-health-conditions

If you or an aging loved one is considering care management in Columbia, MD, please contact the caring staff at Care At Home today. 301-970-9706

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Ann Smith RN

Owner at Care at Home

Ann Smith, RN, Realtor® Your local Home care and Home transition expert Ann is a Registered Nurse and a Realtor with a passion and dedication to serving her community. She has over twenty years of nursing experience in pediatric, geriatric, home health care, and care management. She founded Care at Home, a home care company, to provide seniors with services that promote independence and safe aging in place. Ann is dedicated to helping seniors achieve stress-free retirement living by providing comprehensive services from health to home. Ann's mother instilled in her the value of hard work, dedication, and service to others at a young age, which is now a driving force in her home care agency. Her caring and compassionate work with seniors began when she was just 17 years old. She was offered a job as a caregiver. Just as quickly, she instinctively knew that this would be her life's work. She soon became a nurse and has since helped many older adults transition seamlessly into a new phase of life. While helping seniors and individuals with their home care needs, it became apparent that part of the transition process often involved selling their current home for more suitable living arrangements. That's when Ann decided to add real estate services to alleviate stress and enhance her client's experience. It's also how she became known as the Home Transition Agent. Today, Ann helps her mature clients achieve stress-free retirement living by providing in-home care and comprehensive services from health to home. Ann's love for children and dedication to helping families caring for children with chronic health conditions inspired Pediatric Care at Home, a division of Care at Home that provides pediatric nursing care. Ann and her team are dedicated to providing compassionate care to all, from infants to older adults. When Ann isn't busy helping her patients and clients, she volunteers her time at women's shelters and fostering dogs. She and her veteran husband enjoy a simple life in the countryside, where farm animals and country life surround them. Ann also enjoys reading, photography, gardening, and nature walk with their dogs.

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