These Tips Will Help You Become a Family Caregiver

March 2022
By: Michael Hardman

This is the other side of the story. This is the one about being a family caregiver. You’re not the one who is dealing with physical pain or dealing with the possibilities that there are things you can’t do and might not be able to do again.

But being a family caregiver does change your life. Often it can mean leaving your job or reducing hours to focus on helping a loved one. When I was a family caregiver, in the final year before my wife recovered, I was working for NTI, a nonprofit organization that helps Americans with disabilities. NTI helps family caregivers work remotely on their own schedule with free job training and job placement services.

In my case, and for many others, I had no training as a family caregiver when I assumed the role. You really don’t have time to learn, so any tips you can get can be very helpful.

The first thing to do: Realize you need help.

It can be very difficult to manage all the things that need to be done. Trying to do it all yourself will lead to burnout. It’s important to learn to ask for help and delegate assignments. When family and friends ask what they can do, this is the time to take them up on their offers. Decide what you can reasonably do and then come up with a schedule of when things need to be done. Tasks like errands, meal preparation, appointments and social time are good examples of items that can be delegated and scheduled around other people’s commitments.

The second thing to do: Take advantage of time.

When family or friends are visiting or the person you are caring for is getting medical attention, this can be time for yourself. Maybe it is going out for coffee or lunch, running errands, or just taking a walk. You need to make time for yourself, and that’s not neglecting your responsibility. You need to stop and take a break when you can.  My time spent exercising proved to be a necessity to dealing with stress and staying healthy while I was caring for my wife.

The third thing to do: Make sure you are getting rest, eating right, and watching your own health.

Where I went wrong here was using the time when I should have been sleeping to watch TV and do other things I like to do. The end result was getting four or five hours of sleep a night and I got sick, which made my caregiving a health risk for my wife and didn't allow me to do the role effectively. A good rule is to sleep whenever you can and avoid getting into the takeout junk-food trap. Making meals ahead of time is one step that is useful or having a listing of restaurants that provide quality alternatives. If possible, schedule time each week where someone else can take over while you visit the gym or take care of your own health. A nap might be the best use of this time for your physical and mental health.

The fourth thing to do: Learn everything you can to be an advocate for your loved one.

Knowing about your loved ones care and history is extremely helpful when advocating for their needs. During appointments, there is a lot of information being relayed at once. It can get confusing and overwhelming to keep it all straight. Having a strategy to keep track of the new information can help prevent becoming overwhelmed and keep it easily accessible when doctors have questions. There are several app out there that can help share information, track medication or manage symptoms. Learn about some options here.

The Fifth thing to do: Find out what benefits are offered for caregivers at your job.

It’s not uncommon for care giving to affect your ability to commit to your job. Knowing what benefits are available to you, will ensure you are making the best possible decisions when it comes to your employment. You will want to know if you are eligible for FMLA, have an Employee Assistance Program or have the option to reduce hours or request a flexible schedule.

I was lucky that my work-from-home position with a flexible schedule through NTI allowed me to manage my care giving responsibilities while maintaining employment.

A nonprofit organization, NTI helps Americans with disabilities and their family caregivers find at-home jobs working in call centers for Fortune 500, government organizations, and large and small businesses. You can register for free job training and placement services at www.nticentral.org.