Do You Need The Help Of A Skilled Nurse As You Care For Your Elderly Father?
When your mother died, was your father still able to live by himself and take care of all of his personal needs? He might have wanted to stay in the house that he and your mother shared for years as it was full of treasured memories. Perhaps the time came when even your dad realized that living by himself was not a good idea anymore. Besides having to take care of household repairs and doing heavy yard work, maybe he was just plain lonely.
Now that your dad is living with you and your family, maybe you have realized that you need a helping hand. If that's true, read on for some suggestions that might help you.
Set A Daily Schedule For Help From A Skilled Nurse - Maybe you have a part-time job, or it might be that you just want to get out of your house to do things like meeting friends for lunch, going shopping and running errands. No matter the reason, think of hiring a skilled nurse to care for your father for only a few hours each day.
- Contact an agency that provides nurses who have the training and the skills to help you care for your father.
- If your father would be more comfortable having a male nurse, that can certainly be arranged.
- Maybe your father will develop a trusting relationship with a particular nurse. If so, you can request that the nurse come as often as he or she is available.
Arrange For Skilled Nursing If You Leave Town - There will more than likely be times when you have the opportunity to go out of town. Caring for your father shouldn't mean that you wouldn't be able to take advantage of that opportunity.
- The agency can arrange for skilled nursing professionals to come for as long as you are away from home.
- It might be necessary for different nurses to work in shifts.
- If it is only a day trip, one nurse will probably be sufficient to care for your dad during the day you are gone.
Whether you are away from home for only a few hours or for a longer period of time, be sure to always leave your contact information in case of an emergency. In addition, leave the contact information for a trusted friend or a family member just in case you can't be reached.
Be sure to put important information on paper. For example, if your father is supposed to take certain medication at a designated time, write down the name of the medication and the time it should be taken. If your dad enjoys a particular television show, write that information down, too. All this will help him live comfortably when you aren't around.