Five Tips to Reduce Family Conflict as a Caregiver
Family conflict is one of those things that can happen in even the friendliest of families. As your senior’s caregiver, you can’t make everyone happy and they’re probably going to tell you all about it.
Elder Care in Indianapolis IN: Reducing Family Conflict
Be Open with Information
As a caregiver, you have to respect your senior’s privacy to a certain extent. But within those limitations, there is information you may be able to provide to family members. Being as open with them as you can be may help to reduce conflict that they create because they don’t understand what’s going on with your senior’s care.
Get Really Clear about What You Need
You might think that people who want to be this involved in your senior’s care would look for ways to contribute, but that’s often not the case. Sometimes they just don’t know what your senior actually needs, so they don’t offer help. What helps a lot is for you to be crystal clear about what you need from other people so that you can educate them.
Take a Time Out
How important is it for you to feel as if you’ve won? You might need to simply step back and take a time out from the conflict. Staying embroiled in these types of arguments can sap your energy and keep you from doing what you need to do as a caregiver. The conversation will still be there when you’re ready to dive back in, but you don’t have to stick with it if it’s contentious right now.
Vent Safely and Appropriately
Venting is really important, especially when you’re on the receiving end of negativity. But there are some ways to vent that may not be so safe for you. For instance, calling up another family member and repeating the conversation might make the situation worse. Take the watered-down situation to a support group meeting or to a friend who can help you to express your feelings.
Don’t Take the Bait
Above all, you need to be able to avoid taking the bait when family members are poking at you. If you rise to the bait every time someone tosses something inflammatory out there, you’re going to stay in conflict whether that’s what you want or not.
If your family members are giving you a hard time more often than not, it’s even more crucial for you to take care of yourself. Hire elder care providers to offer you respite. Make sure that you’re doing what you need to do in order to keep yourself ready to go as a caregiver.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering Elder Care in Indianapolis IN, please call the caring staff at Home Services Unlimited. Serving Greater Indianapolis Area. Call for Immediate Info & Assistance: (317) 471-0760
As a practicing Registered Nurse, Etelka was keenly aware of a void in quality patient care that could be provided in the home. She embarked upon a journey to develop a home health care agency that would exceed all expectations and become a trusted partner to physicians and patients.
A Distinguished Career From Nurse to Director of Nursing to President of Home Services Unlimited
Etelka’s distinguished career followed a logical progression to her position as President of Home Services Unlimited. She graduated as a nurse practitioner with a Bachelor of Nursing (RN) in 1972 from Meshgorya University in the Ukraine, close to where she lived with her family. She married her husband Phil in 1973 and decided in 1977 that they would relocate to the United States to be closer to family and to come to this land of opportunity. With an eagerness to continue her budding career, Etelka sat for and passed her Boards in the U.S. in 1979.
A Love and Talent for Working with the Elderly
Etelka began her nursing career in the U.S. at Colonial Crest, now part of Golden Living, where she was the In-service Coordinator, the Director of Training and Education and Director of Nursing, a position she occupied for several years.
With a group of partners, she co-founded Adept Corporation, which operated group homes for the mentally challenged. The business was successful and in 1996, Etelka sold her share to return to her roots, caring for the elderly.
In January of 1997, Etelka opened Home Services Unlimited as a fully licensed business to provide home health care. In her quest to learn to do better for her patients, she had already obtained a Masters in Healthcare Administration (MHA) in May of 1990 from the College of St. Francis. As President of Home Services Unlimited, Inc., Etelka guides the trusted, experienced care model Home Services Unlimited uses to continue providing excellent home health care.
Giving Back to the Community of Indianapolis
Volunteering for community services is a high priority for Etelka. Her memberships include the Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Executive Women in Health Care and the Indiana Association for Home and Hospice Care, where she is a member of the Board of Directors.
Etelka has also served on the Board of Directors with Hooverwood Home, a highly regarded geriatric facility, since 1997 and as the President for 2005-2006. Through her community work, she has received several awards and accolades, including the Nora McFarland award in 2002, from the Indiana Association of Home and Hospice Care.
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