Healthcare Marketing – Speaking to the Caregivers
Caregivers play a vital role as the mediums between the complex healthcare industry and the patients. In this fundamental position, the caregiver often becomes the primary target audience for healthcare marketers. As a leading resource in the long term care and health care industry, it is LTCAdministrator.com’s primary objective to navigate the sheer plethora of information and support the caregivers during this challenging journey. Our resources are important for professional caregivers (nursing home employees, rehab professionals, home care workers) as well as personal caregivers. We understand the complexities of the health care industry, value the importance of communications support, and recognize that a supported caregiver can give optimal care.
Through our experiences with caregivers, we have encountered two main types of family caregivers: the “reluctant” and the “willing.” The reluctant caregiver looks at giving care as an obligation fulfilled from duty, and the willing caregiver approaches caring with love. It is important to recognize the sacrifices of both the willing caregiver who lovingly accepts the caregiving role, and especially the reluctant caregiver who perseveres despite feelings of guilt and even resentment. Caregiving can be an experience full of satisfaction for the willing caregiver, whereas the reluctant caregiver may find fulfillment in knowing that they haven’t turned their back on a loved one.
The following tips from Helpguide.org can benefit every caregiver and ensure that the caregivers will be better prepared to care for their loved ones:
1. Accepting feelings
Caregiving can trigger a host of difficult emotions, including anger, fear, resentment, guilt, helplessness, and grief. It’s important to acknowledge and accept feelings, both good and bad. Feelings of doubts and misgivings don’t mean that a caregiver doesn’t love their family member—they are simply human.
2. There are no caregiver superheroes
Even the primary family caregiver can’t do everything on their own, especially if caregiving from a distance (more than an hour’s drive). Help from friends, siblings, and other family members, as well as health professionals is critical. Listing all the caregiving tasks required, and being as specific as possible is the first step, then caregivers can determine which activities they are able to meet. The remaining tasks on the list are ones that others can pitch in and help with.
3. Attend to your own needs
Caregivers must consider emotional, social/recreational, and physical needs, including taking time to relax, perhaps keeping a journal, and monitoring for signs of depression or anxiety. Additionally, visiting or being social with others is super important. Isolation can lead to depression, and to ensure a positive outlook, caregivers must do things they enjoy and stay social. Laughter is key when there is stress and pain, and finding community is essential –connections in a religions group, social club or civic organization – because the broader a support network, the better. Last but not least, escorting a patient to and from the doctor constantly may result in caregivers ignoring their own health. They must keep up with their own plan, staying as strong and healthy as possible.
LTCAdministrator.com is dedicated to providing quality information and resources for caregivers and health care professionals. For more information on navigating the healthcare industry or becoming a caregiver, contact us at info@ltcadministrator.com or 718-382-4200.
