A good senior-caregiver is necessary to ensure a successful care program that benefits the client. As in any other relationship, both parties must feel a connection between them in order for it to be a success. Here are some ways that caregivers can establish a long and lasting connection with their elderly clients.
Pictures
Bring out the seniors photo albums and listen as they tell the stories behind each picture. Be attentive and ask questions to show the client that you are genuinely interested in what they have to say. This allows the client to share fond memories of important people in their life and also sharpens their long-term memory function by recalling such events.
Share your personal photos with the client as well. Pictures from family gatherings or vacations are good conversation starters. Talk about your children, your pets, or any other interesting thing that is connected to the pictures.
Cooking
Engage the senior in meal preparation by asking them what kinds of things they like to eat. The conversation should soon turn to favorite recipes that the senior has, which will motivate them to want to be involved in the process. Encourage them to share stories about the recipe, such as how long its been in the family and whether it was a special dish reserved for holiday dinners.
Share your own recipes with the client. This encourages them to try new things and expand their interests. Always be mindful of any dietary restrictions or food allergies that the senior may have when presenting them with different meals.
Field Trips
Ask the elder in your care about favorite places located within the city. Take them on a drive or walk to the location and ask them why its special to them. Be attentive and express interest as they speak. Optionally, a caregiver might take the senior on an excursion to one of their own personal favorite locations. It may be a park or a monument that the senior hasn’t seen in a while or seen before at all.
Games
Find out if there are any games that the client likes to play. Cards, chess, or board games are all good ways of sharpening mental function in the elderly and can be entertaining as well. If the client doesn’t have a favorite game, the care provider can share one of their own and teach the client something new in the process.
Any time and effort to making the senior-caregiver relationship work will not be lost. The senior will enjoy and look forward to the visits by the caregiver. It doesn’t matter how professional our team here at Liberty In Home Care is, our staff are still human and if the senior-caregiver relationship is a good one it makes it easier for someone to smile and keep their chin up through the difficult parts of there job.
Tags: devon, main line, malvern, paoli, senior caregiver
