10 Ways to Ease the Stresses of Dementia Caregiving
You are a strong caregiver, but even the strongest can be overwhelmed with all the responsibilities that come with caring for someone with Alzheimer’s. Below are 10 Ways to Ease the Stresses of Dementia Caregiving with the VerifyCare app and take some weight off your shoulders.
1. Keep Family and Friends Informed
Whether you are the sole caregiver or share responsibility with family or friends, it can be difficult to keep everyone on the same page about the state of your LO. VerifyCare keeps everyone informed by allowing you to invite all those concerned with their wellbeing to join their Care Team. As Care Team members, family and friends can view and record information, coordinate care needs, and communicate with all those involved.
2. Maintain Routines and Ease Stresses of Dementia Caregiving
Keeping a consistent routine helps decrease confusion and frustration for your LO. VerifyCare has a wide range of preset tasks to measure, such as vitals, nutrition, behavior, and other activities. You can also create your own custom tasks to measure the unique needs of your LO. This could be repeating a custom memory exercise task each day to track their progress. Real-time notifications ensure a task is completed on time and help keep you both on a reliable schedule.
3. Master their Medication List
Your LO may frequently change medications since it’s difficult to determine which will help their current state as Alzheimer’s progresses. Luckily, the Med Management Module allows you to keep track of medication or supplement. Include details such as the dosage, quantity, frequency, prescriber, and even what it looks like. VerifyCare sends alerts when medications are due. Additionally, it provides all the necessary information to relieve you of memorizing a mountain of drug facts. You can mark when each med is administered so you never have to second guess if it was already taken.
4. Easily Analyze All Data to Track Dementia Progress
If there are changes in your LO’s vitals, wellbeing, or behavior, it can be difficult to pinpoint this change. With the Analyze Module, any task or medication can be viewed in a graph form to easily see trends, changes, or missed items. Compare multiple items to see their correlation, such as the effects a new medication has on your LO’s appetite. You can also easily export data using the Summary Report Module to view desired tasks and medication entries in a table format. Being aware of these changes and what’s causing them can help eliminate the problem more efficiently.
5. Ease Stresses of Organizing Appointments and Events
Between your own busy life and the schedule of your LO, keeping track of appointments and who’s taking care of what can be confusing. With the Calendar Module, you can organize appointments, designate participants, or even request a volunteer from your Care Team. Alerts help remind you when upcoming appointments are approaching. The shared calendar is a great coordination tool to manage the Care Team’s schedules.
6. Post to the Journal
Confusion from the effects of Alzheimer’s can cause your LO to be more prone to accidents, especially in the middle of the night. If your LO experiences a fall, you may want to monitor their injuries, such as bruising and can do so with the Journal Module. The Journal Module acts as a private feed where you can create posts and include images. Other members of the Care Team can comment on posts to stay engaged. This area is a great reference to track visual elements of care, such as the progress of their healing bruises.
7. Note Allergies and Diagnosis
Everchanging medication can come with unexpected allergic reactions. With the Conditions Module, you can store relevant medical information, like allergies or diagnosis, all in one place. Attach relevant documentation or include instructional notes on how to take care of your LO’s allergic reaction. This area is a great place to reflect on key information regarding your LO for elements that aren’t necessarily a daily occurrence.
8. Store Documents All in One Place
Forget filing through thick folders and packets for medical documents. The Documents Module allows you to store relevant information and documents regarding your LO so they are easily accessible. Your LO may be like many who now have a COVID-19 vaccination card. Luckily, this can be easily uploaded to the documents area. Ensure you always have the necessary documentation right at your fingertips.
9. Important Contacts for Dementia Caregiving
Sorting through phone books or websites can be daunting to find the right contact information for your LO’s doctor, therapist, lawyer, or other important references. With the contact list, you can store phone numbers, email addresses, and fax numbers for any important contact in your LO’s life and specify their role. The ability to make calls or send emails right from the app saves you time and gets you in contact with others more efficiently.
10. Hired Caregivers for Easing the Stresses of Dementia Caregiving
For those who are states away from their LO or if your LO is looked after by a private, hired caregiver, VerifyCare can help ensure they receive the highest level of quality care. Much like inviting a friend or family member, you can invite your caregiver to join your LO’s Care Team. You can even designate the wages for your caregiver when sending their invite and calculate their earnings in the Wages Module. Enjoy the peace of mind knowing VerifyCare allows you to verify the caregiver follows and exceeds the care needs of your LO.
10 Ways to Ease the Stresses of Dementia Caregiving featured in the Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver.
