Caregiving in the Midst of a Pandemic: What You Need To Know
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought on many difficulties for the majority of people. It has affected millions in not just their lives, health, and wellbeing, but how they function as well. Caregivers are at the heart of this pandemic, having to make adjustments and deal with changing circumstances.
If you are a caregiver, whether this is your job or the responsibilities have been thrust on you to care for family or friends, you have a lot that you are dealing with. Whether you are new to the role or have been practicing for years, the pandemic that has occurred since the past months has given everyone new challenges to work with. With that said, here are some things that you need to know as a caregiver in the midst of a pandemic.
Health Care Proxy
Are you the legally appointed person for the person you are caring for? This is important to note for a variety of reasons. You have to know if you are the legal spokesperson of the person you are taking care of, in case the person becomes too sick or too ill to speak to or communicate with a doctor or a health professional. You will know that you are the healthcare proxy if you have a document signed by the patient that identifies you as such. That document is called a health care directive or a living will. You want to ensure that you have a copy of that somewhere you can remember and easily access.
If you are not the healthcare proxy for the patient, you want to ensure that you have the contact information for the person that is. If you are providing care for a patient that has not outlined this in a document or contract, you should advise them to do so immediately.
Having a healthcare proxy ensures that the patient always has a say in their own care, whether it is coming from themselves or someone who is close and trusted by them.
Having a Plan for Covid
As addressed previously, you want to have a healthcare proxy established, in case you cannot speak for yourself as a patient. In addition to this, you want to go over any plans if something occurs due to covid circumstances. Even if you are not the designated or appointed person to speak on the patient’s behalf, being a caregiver means that you do have insight into what the patient may want; if this is the case, you can provide your input. This is because, as a caregiver, you have a close relationship with that patient as you spend a lot of time with them.
It is important to sit down and talk with the patient and those that are in a position to make decisions to know how to proceed in different events and situations that might arise. Ask what matters not only about the patient’s healthcare at the moment but also if things get worse. This would include things like DNR situations and quality of life measures. Take your time with these conversations as it is not easy, but should be discussed with the circumstances of this pandemic.
Access to Information
With a constant flow of information associated with the pandemic, you must stay updated on what changes might be occurring, what news regarding COVID-19 is out there, and what steps and measures are being taken. As a caregiver, you need to have reliable access to that information, and that can come through a variety of avenues.
There are multiple sources you can seek information – from news channels and different platforms to medical websites. Additionally, you want to be able to have access to different tools, depending on your circumstances. An EMR System for Outpatient Therapy, for example, provides visitors access to information directly related to themselves or their patients regarding their medical histories. This can be crucial for situations where you might have had exposure and done some recent tests, and waiting on certain results. You might need this information to relay to your medical team or for upcoming procedures.
Having easy access to your electronic medical reports ensures that your doctors have efficient access to your information to properly care for you.
Stress and Support
The role of a caregiver, whether you are working within the profession or have taken on the responsibility as a family member, is a highly demanding one. There are a lot of stresses that one must deal with daily, and this is not considering the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic. When you combine the events and changes around things like government rules and regulations, different policies, health updates, and new and changing information, there is a lot to take in and have to worry about. With the pandemic, there is a lot of change in caregiver routines that have to be accounted for, not simply just the practices being performed, but in the physical space, they are working with. Stress from trying to keep up with all these changes will multiply, and feelings of anxiety can increase through these difficult times.
As a caregiver, it is key to address and identify your thoughts and worries. You want to understand and differentiate the different matters that are under your control and outside of it. Once addressed, you can ensure that you practice safety measures best with your abilities in the ways that you can affect them and try to not overwhelm yourself in the situations that you can’t change. It is important as a caregiver that you allow yourself to prioritize your own self-care not just in terms of physical, but in mental and emotional health as well.
Providing attention and assistance in the role of a caregiver is not easy, and the job has not been made any easier with the circumstances of the recent pandemic. You must have access to changing information to keep up with different health practices, and always practice self-care as this can be crucial for both yourself and those that are depending on you.
