10 Ways To Help Emotionally Support Those Living With A Home Health Aid
A home health aid applies their expertise to make sure that the recovery is quick and effective. To avoid a relapse, the patient has to be in a balanced emotional state, and that is why you have to play a role of supporting them in any way you can. Do not leave all the work to the home health aid because chances of recovery depend on your feedback.
We have seen cases where those living with a caregiver give up making any efforts towards improvement simply because their loved one exhibits a don’t care attitude. Supporting your sick loved one emotionally does not only shorten the recovery period, but it’s also economically beneficial. So, here are ten things you can do to lend a hand.
- Make Time For The Patient
Once in a while, you should give the caregiver time off and carry out the day’s duties yourself. This way, you can spend some quality time with the patient. Wiping drool, changing diapers, and emptying the bedpan may seem disgusting at first, but it all becomes worth it after you see the satisfaction on the patient’s face.
Sometimes spending time will mean just being in the same room with the ailing loved one. Other times the patient may be stubborn by insisting that they don’t want to spend time with you. In such an instance, you should respect their personal space but linger around and make sure they know your presence in the vicinity.
2. Allow Them To Do Some Things On Their Own
Having a sense of helplessness can be soul-crushing and emotionally damning. If you are sure the patient can brush their teeth on their own, then let them apply the paste and hold the toothbrush. If they insist on doing some light house chores that won’t affect their health, then allow them and provide anything they might require to discharge the task effectively.
For example, if the patient does not sweep the floor properly or wash the dishes thoroughly, do not yell and be demeaning to them; instead, you should applaud and commend them. Doing so will immensely uplift their self-esteem while at the same time acting as a form of exercise to their body.
3. Don’t Yell At Them
It is easy for someone who is living with a home health aid to get under our skin. A rule of thumb is never to get irritated around the patient even when they intend to make you pull your hair out. You have to understand that both of you are in opposite emotional states, and maybe they are sarcastic as a feel-good tactic.
Once they get you all hot-headed, the practical solution is to go as far away from them and blow off the steam. Make sure to let out all the emotional frustration because holding it in will certainly be toxic to both of you soon.
4. Offer Some Privacy
No matter how many times you have bathed them and changed their bedpan, try as much as possible to respect the patient’s personal space and offer privacy when they need it. However, it would help if you were careful with those prone to harm themselves when left alone. You can install a hidden camera as a safety measure and keep lethal items away from those living with a home health aid.
5. Encourage Their Purpose In Life
Being ill can end someone’s career, but this does not have to be the case. The use of technology has boosted the lives of people who were living with a home health aid. Look at how technology played a part in the life purpose of talented individuals such as multimillionaire Jon Morrow and acclaimed physicist Stephen Hawking.
Try it today, and you will be surprised by how much technology can do for an ailing loved one. This approach is suitable, especially for breadwinners who are living with a caregiver. You can encourage their life purpose by:
- Offering painting supplies.
- Books to read.
- Somewhere to write.
- Offering constructive feedback on their work and general ideas.
- Exposing them to motivational content.
6. Make Their Living Space Comfortable
To make a patient comfortable start by placing them in an environment they enjoy. A good example is a homely space where the ailing is surrounded by familiar people who genuinely care about them. Yes, a hospital can provide this but with a higher price tag, and one of the ways to balance the emotion of someone living with a home health aid is to shield them from thinking about financial problems.
Do not go taking out debts to make someone comfortable; instead, use whatever is available. For starters, a clean and well-ventilated room can do wonders for the emotional health of a patient.
7. Bring Their Friends Around
Once in a while, you should take the patient to meet friends, or these best friends can come to visit them. Real friends are not biased in any way and would not be afraid to tell you what they think. Once in a while, individuals living with caregivers need to interact with friends who are good at boosting emotional morale.
Research shows that a visit from a long-term friend can significantly improve the chances of your recovery.
8. Show Them Affection
Unless the illness is contagious, you should take time and hug the patient, hold their hand, and generally show them affection. Avoid pointing out the negative aspects of their condition, such as bad breath, and instead act as if you never noticed. We are created differently, and everyone has their way of showing affection, so just be yourself and do what you would typically be doing.
For instance, don’t go hugging someone if you’re not the hugging type, do something else like pour them a glass of water or offer to help them with anything. It would help if you made the patient feel important and wanted.
9. Eat Whatever They’re Having
This does not mean you eat the prescribed hospital food they are taking but have a taste and so that it’s not that bad even when it tastes horrible. The point of such food is to catalyze a quick recovery. You might be tempted to bring them a burger and fries, but be careful as the contents of such meals may deteriorate the patient’s health.
10. Shield Them From Distractions
Don’t argue in front of the patient, and don’t place the ailing in a polluted environment, which means that you should ensure that a sick person should stay in a serene space. Such an environment acts like a form of therapy that maintains their emotional balance.
Conclusion
Being sick is stressful and living with a home health aid takes a toll on an ailing patient, but you can change all that by applying the ten things mentioned above. Emotional balance is not something we achieve on our own, and that is why you should step in today to ensure a quick and effective recovery.
