HTI provide unpaid help to older adults who are living in the community and need assistance to continue living safely in their own homes. They include spouses, adult children, adult relatives and friends. These HTI may provide assistance such as shopping, bathing, dressing or preparing meals, or they might arrange for and oversee services such as home maintenance, paying bills or other like services. Though it is often rewarding, HTI can be stressful -- physically, mentally and emotionally. Experience shows that HTI need to set limits, care for themselves and involve others in HTI tasks. HTI, however, don't always know what help is available or how to access it. Many times they are desperate for assistance and respite from HIT tasks before they even begin the search for help.
CONTENTS |
- Assessing Needs
- General Checklists
- Caregiver Needs
|
|
Assessing Needs
As a family member ages, we often don't notice the subtle changes in functioning. When a crisis situation occurs, we then must think back to past behaviors and functioning to determine how the situation became so critical.
Professional, having completed the checklists beforehand will help you to help the professional. If you decide to access services yourself, completing checklists can help you to determine what services may be needed and the levels of care that will best suit the needs of your family. |
|
General Checklists
Do you have concern about your family memberin these general areas? |
Yes |
No |
Driving |
|
|
Vision |
|
|
Hearing |
|
|
Socializing |
|
|
Memory |
|
|
Decisionmaking/Judgment |
|
|
Balance |
|
|
Strength |
|
|
Energy |
|
|
Health |
|
|
Overall ability to function independently |
|
|
From your observations, generally evaluate how your family member performs in these areas: |
Activity |
Can do independently |
Needs some help |
Needs a lot of help |
Walking |
|
|
|
Rising from a seated position |
|
|
|
Getting out of bed |
|
|
|
Getting in/out of car |
|
|
|
Preparing a meal |
|
|
|
Eating a meal |
|
|
|
Toileting |
|
|
|
Bathing |
|
|
|
Getting dressed |
|
|
|
Personal hygiene |
|
|
|
Doing laundry |
|
|
|
Using the telephone |
|
|
|
Taking medications |
|
|
|
Paying bills |
|
|
|
Keeping track of finances |
|
|
|
Driving |
|
|
|
Shopping |
|
|
|
Home maintenance |
|
|
|
Household cleaning |
|
|
|
Take a good look at your answers. If you see areas where your family member needs assistance, you may want to talk to a professional to help you make wise choices. There is no magic number of problems that should prompt you to get assistance. Each family is different and each person has a different level of tolerance. Use these checklists to help you see if there seem to be multiple problems and to alert you to. Don't be embarrassed to share with them how you are feeling and coping with your situation and any specific problems you may be having. Anything you share will be held in confidence and they will not judge you or the situation you find yourself in. They want to help you, which is why they have chosen this career. |
| |
Caregiver Needs
You may also want to consider the following questions about yourself (the caregiver):
My needs |
Yes |
No |
I feel capable of handling this situation myself |
|
|
I have family that can help me |
|
|
I have friends that can help me |
|
|
I have a faith community that can help me |
|
|
I am willing to ask others for help |
|
|
I am feeling the stress of this situation already |
|
|
I need someone to help me |
|
|
What do your answers tell you? This should help you to decide what to do next. Take the answers provided in these checklists and use the answers to find services and assistance to help you help your family member and yourself. |
