Tips on Practical Care

A goal of the Caregiving Team ministry is to beneficially relate to and assist care partners. While some care partners greatest needs may be spiritual, emotional, or physical support (i.e., assisting with walking), many care partners will have a need for simple, practical support. This practical support can make the difference in whether an individual remains at home. It may also open the door for establishing and building a mutually rewarding relationship. The goal of Team ministry is relationship out of which practical care may be given. It is also true in some cases that practical assistance may be a path to a relationship. In fact, team members will find that as your relationship with your care partner builds, your offer to provide practical support may become increasingly more acceptable to your care partner. Accordingly, it is very important to provide this assistance if and when needed to the extent possible.

Practical support can include, but is not limited to, Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). Activities of Daily Living include: Eating Bathing Dressing Using the toilet Transferring Continence Instrumental Activities of Daily Living include: Housework Grocery shopping Laundry Meal preparation Medication management Transportation Other forms of practical assistance include: Shopping assistance

701 N. Post Oak Rd., Ste. 330, Houston, TX 77024 | 713-682-5995 info@interfaithcarepartners.org | www.interfaithcarepartners.org

Reading mail Home or yard cleaning/maintenance Assistance with personal care (e.g., grooming, combing hair) Transportation or escorting to appointments or errands (congregational policies may apply) Meal preparation Practical support should be limited to non-skilled assistance. Team members should not attempt skilled care, such as wound care, checking vital signs or blood pressure, monitoring blood sugar, administering medication, or other tasks that may be better performed by other specially trained individuals. Remember, Team members serve as lay personsnot as professionals. Even professionals set aside that role as a Team member. As a Team member, the expectation is for you to provide non-skilled services, the sort of care and assistance that friends or family provide. Tips: At the onset of services, one should determine the extent of ones care and support to the care partner. The care partner and team member/leader should collectively agree on who, what, when, and how of Team services to avoid any confusion and to maintain proper boundaries. Team members should always respect the care partners wishes by making every attempt to provide support in a manner the care partner accepts. This may be achieved by keeping in mind the care partners needs and the ultimate purpose of your presence. Team members may ask the care partner, how do you like this to be done or would you like for me to take care of this like this? When possible, allow the care partner to participate. This may help to reduce frustration and impatience when a care partner insists on doing things his/her way. Be mindful of the losses your care partner has experienced. Holding onto as much independence as possible may contribute to his/her sense of overall well being. Allowing another to participate in tasks that once were done alone may enable him/her to feel as if all control and independence has not been lost. To avoid conflict or ill-feelings, keep in mind that your role is to support him/her to live independently. Offer your care partner choices that allow him/her to retain as much control over his/her life as possible. Doing so can help boost your care partners self esteem. Ask questions like, Would you like go to the bathroom now or later? Which store would you like to go to first? In time you should gain his/her trust and experience less resistance to your desire to help.

701 N. Post Oak Rd., Ste. 330, Houston, TX 77024 | 713-682-5995 info@interfaithcarepartners.org | www.interfaithcarepartners.org

The caregiving covenant provides guidelines to help you keep all care and support in proper perspective. Boundary setting, a major component of the caregiving covenant, is critical to making sure that you and your care partner have a good understanding of each persons role in the relationship. The caregiving covenant will explicitly spell out what you and the care partner seek to achieve. Self-determination and independence are critical to their pride and dignity, and especially important when one feels that these are threatened or lost. The practical support you provide will make a difference in the care partners life, if consistently offered. It is important that you adhere to any schedule and promises the team has made. Consistent, reliable, nurturing, volunteer support given with genuine love and care will almost always be welcomed. Team Activity See handout1, Case Study 2: Margaret. Answer the following questions/statements: 1. Identify which of Margarets needs are ADLs or IADLs. 2. Which needs should a Team consider meeting? 3. How else might a volunteer been utilized to assist Margaret? 4. From this case study, discuss the impact a Team member can have on Margaret and her caregiver. Relate Modules: Guiding Principles 1st Steps Caregiving Covenant Boundary Setting Overcoming Resistance Little Things Basis for Care Gift Relationships
1

CMS, The Texas Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program, Benefits Counselor Long-Term Care Initiative Training, March 2005. Written by Veronica Seivwright

701 N. Post Oak Rd., Ste. 330, Houston, TX 77024 | 713-682-5995 info@interfaithcarepartners.org | www.interfaithcarepartners.org