Caregiving for an aging loved one in their time of need is one of the most loving experiences you can have. But giving or giving back to someone you care deeply for also comes with challenges. It is not always easy, but we know you want to do the best you can.
 



Let’s talk about a few things you can do to help be the best caregiver you can:

• First of all, even though most of the caregiving responsibility might fall on you, ask someone you trust to give you relief breaks from time to time. Clearing your mind for even brief periods will help to relieve the pressure of responsibilities associated with caregiving. There will also be times you can’t manage it on your own. There are resources available. Look for them before you need them so when unexpected or difficult situations come about, you’ll have a plan in place.
• Keep a positive attitude about caregiving. Take things a day at a time and be sure to practice good self-care so you can always give the best you have to give. Meditation and deep breathing exercises can be very helpful.
• Getting enough rest and proper nutrition go a long way to help keep you at your best. Yoga can relieve stress and even brisk 10-minute walks can help rejuvenate you.
• Depending on the type of caregiving you are doing, situations may arise that require you to reach out for professional assistance. Working in partnership with members of your loved one’s healthcare team will give everyone an opportunity to solve problems in a respectful and dignified way. Get to know members of your loved one’s healthcare team so you can feel comfortable working together.
• Caregiving is important to you, and it’s tempting to want to do everything on your own. It’s important to recognize your own limits. Don't try to do more in one day than you are capable of doing.

​For over 15 years, we have been dedicated to providing you with high-quality first aid, personal care and home health care products that really work. We care about you, the caregiver, and your loved ones. 

This is the sandwich generation. People who are still raising youngsters are often making the choice to move the grandparents in as well. Be prepared. Your family life is likely to change. Certainly, there might be ramifications, and understanding them in advance (if you have the time) and keeping an open line of communication with your family will be helpful in moving through the changes. Thinking that you are hurting your children by allowing a loved one to move in and be cared for is not something to feel guilty about.
 
Sometimes our aging loved ones can still care for themselves. As they age, their level of support increases, and that might mean that you will need to provide more advanced levels of care. Some people choose to do it all themselves, thinking they are protecting their children. Keep in mind, though, that you may be giving your children a gift by allowing them to help out. You will also be sharing the load, and everyone will benefit.
By allowing children to help out, you will be teaching them valuable life skills such as responsibility. Just remember that when they grow up, your children may be able to care for you some day. They will also begin learning elements of caregiving that are at their stage of development. This might mean reading a story to or playing cards with the loved one you are caring for. Even this will enhance the lives of everyone involved.
Teaching children when they are young how to offer caring support to a loved one in need embeds a sense of responsibility early on. At the very least it teaches compassion.

Relationship Building
In today’s world, families are farther apart, and the closeness experienced in the “old days” is all but a thing of the past for many. When aging grandparents move in, children can have the opportunity to get to know the people who love them more deeply. Participating in their care will build on those relationships as well as foster lifelong skills that will benefit children as adults. When they see how you care for your loved ones, you will be modeling valuable skills, and when you let them participate, they will benefit from the value of taking part.
 
Pharma-C Products
Choosing the right products will help make life more enjoyable for your loved one and easier on the caregiver. For over 15 years, Pharma-C-Wipes has been dedicated to providing you with high-quality first aid, personal care and home health care products that really work.

​When was the last time you hugged your parents? Some families use a lot of physical expressions of affection, and others do not. Especially now since the pandemic, touch phobia has increased dramatically. Rightfully so in many cases, but now that we are coming to what is hopefully the end of festering infections, do you ever wonder if we will go back to the way things were- touching, hugging, kissing?

We live in a touch-phobic society. Americans, unlike people in some other countries, touch less. Interestingly, Americans prefer 2 to 4 feet of personal space. If you compare that to Latin Americans and Middle Easterners, that’s twice as much. Even before the pandemic, most of us need more human contact than we’re getting.
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Supported by countless studies, physical touch has many benefits If you are caring for someone who is suffering from physical pain, did you know that touch can help lessen pain? It has many other physical and emotional benefits as well. Here are a few:
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• Touch helps to lower blood glucose. If your loved one is diabetic or pre-diabetic, touching them, light massage or hugging can help. Touch helps to slow the heart rate and lower blood pressure. It improves pulmonary function.
• Having a strong immune system is important for both the healthy and unhealthy. Touch, along with a diet rich in antioxidants recommended by your doctor, helps improve immune function to help us stay well.
• Hugs strengthen the immune system, relieve pain and depression, elevate mood, reduce stress, decrease the heart rate, and may help to prevent Parkinson’s. Interestingly, researchers also claim that touch helps to enhance alertness and performance. Even eye contact and a pat on the back from a doctor is said to increase survival rate! As a caregiver these things are important. When a loved one is unwell, they are vulnerable. Touching promotes bonding and increases trust.

 
Pharma-C-Wipes products, especially our wipes and hair care products, are supportive as you touch your loved one. Hygiene, along with the touch that you provide, help them to feel better. Pharma-C-Wipes can help you enhance the quality of life for someone who needs it most. Visit https://www.pharma-c.com/frequently-asked-questions.html and read our FAQs for more detailed information.