Many people struggle to provide their disabled loved ones with the necessary care at home. Unfortunately, this lowers the quality of life for their charges, leaving them frustrated, miserable, and depressed.
Over 18 per cent of the Australian population struggle with disability. This means that about 20 per cent of Queenslanders have a disability. Over a quarter of million people spread across all ages have a severe impairment that makes them need assistance in various activities. The level of aid can range from communication, mobility, or even self-care. If you’re among the almost a million primary caregivers, you can take the following measures and improve your quality of life:
Embrace Technology
Being stuck in one place can take a toll on your loved and leave them depressed or stressed. If moving them won’t put their well-being in danger, you should consider taking a walk to the park. The fresh air and natural surroundings can do wonders for their mental and emotional wellness. With the right equipment such as medical slings and power wheelchairs, you can make it easy for them to move around without the risk of injuries.
Refine Your Skills
When you have someone who is entirely reliant on you for their well-being, you need to live up to these expectations. It’s the only way for the both of you to have a clear head. If you’re unable to provide proper care for them, you will put their health or well-being at risk. They might fall and injure themselves, or their health might take a turn for the worst.
Therefore, you need to learn how to help your charge lead a fulfilling life. In addition to learning how to help them with activities such as bathing, dressing, walking, you also need to improve your interpersonal skills. You need to refine your communication skills, body language, empathy, patience, and positivity. You also need to cope with the changing circumstances to keep them from overwhelming you.
Embrace the Situation
Disabilities that result from a disease or an accident can throw your life into a turmoil. A loved one who was able and independent suddenly became reliant on you and other family members. Such a development can throw your life out of balance, leaving you feeling frustrated and lost. Your only hope in such cases is to accept the situation.
While that might be easier said than done, it’s the only way you can be sane under such circumstances and keep your loved one safe. Accepting the situation can be taxing both mentally and emotionally. Instead of trying to bury your feelings, find ways to grieve and let them out as suppressing them will only cause you more anguish.
Caring for a person with disabilities can prove to be a challenging task if it’s suddenly thrust at you. It’s in your best interest to not let matters get out of hand as that can put the health of your loved one at risk. By embracing the situation, improving your skills and adopting modern technology, you can make both your lives easier.
