One of the best tips of providing personal care to keep in mind is to always have respect for the patient. This one thing can make a great deal of difference to the patient's self-esteem and also help him or her appreciate you as a caregiver. Other helpful care-giving tips include adapting your services to suit each patient and making sure to take well-deserved breaks.
Caregiver "burnout" is a very real phenomenon that can occur due to the often high-stress demands of care giving. Whether a caregiver is a professional care attendant or a family member, taking time for breaks is crucial. Sometimes, a caregiver can become so wrapped up in the seemingly nonstop demands of looking after a patient, that he or she neglects to take breaks. Becoming harried, frazzled or even eventually short-tempered, isn't going to be in the best interests of the patient. When providing personal care for either children or adults, a plan for enough attendants and relief caregivers should be firmly in place.
A plan should also be made as to what the patient's needs are before providing personal care. Not all handicapped or elderly persons require the same personal services. Speaking with the patient before providing personal care can often help the attendant form a respectful approach. The personal care attendant can often find out which grooming or other daily activities the patient can do. For instance, an elderly woman may take pride in being able to comb her hair.
Applying adaptive personal care to each patient is a great tip for caregivers. This approach involves using one's attendant or care-giving skills in a unique way according to what each individual patient requires. Living assistance, whether it entails feeding, bathing, toileting, dressing or all of these services, then becomes adaptable to the needs of the patient rather than a set list of activities for the caregiver to perform routinely. Many patients will likely appreciate the individual attention when the attendant is providing personal care.
By listening to each patient, a customized way of providing personal care can often be developed. This is likely to be what is best, whether the personal care is for a child or adult. Studying human development and psychology may help those providing personal care to others by enriching their understanding of different perspectives. Personal care attendants may also benefit from sharing ideas and experiences with other caregivers at workshops.