If you’re new to caregiving, you may be taking on new tasks, learning medical terms, and coordinating complex schedules. Use these tips to help you navigate caregiving:
- Learn as much as you can about the person’s medical situation. Knowing the details can help you understand what is happening, anticipate how a disease may worsen or change, and better manage their health care.
- Work with the person you care for to figure out what assistance they need. This could include helping someone with personal care, talking to doctors, paying bills, or organizing important documents.
- Ask family and friends to share caregiving tasks. There is no way one person can do it all. Splitting up tasks can help both the person who needs care and the primary caregiver.
- Explore resources in your community. Services can include in-home help, transportation, modifications to make a home safer and more accessible, and information about paying for care.
- Get training if needed. Many people don’t have caregiving experience when they start. Caregiver training is available from many sources, including online. These courses are often free or low cost.
Learn more about caregiving and steps that can help you get started.
