Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate: Dr. Cynthia Speaks!

Topic: Caregivers are Protectors

Caregiver advocacy matters when it comes to providing support to our loved ones as they age. The level of responsibility to ensure their wellbeing must be a top priority. A dear friend is facing the understanding of advocacy up close and personal. We know the desire for autonomy with our older adults will always be paramount until it is no longer feasible. Watching our loved ones decline, physically or cognitively, is heart-wrenching. Sometimes you do not want to believe what you are seeing. My friend shared that with me the other day. She shares a conversation with her family member that I felt is essential to share. If you are facing a similar situation, seek help and guidance. Two conditions come to mind from the conversation. Is this dementia? Is this Alzheimers’? Is this a combination of both?

What Do You Think About This Conversation?

Would you like to put shoes on before you go outside? “ I have shoes on.”

Where are you going?

“To the bathroom.” It is the other way and down that hall. “No, the kitchen is down that hall.”

Where are you going at 10:00 PM? “To the mailbox. I just heard the mailman truck pass by.”

Does the above conversation require advocacy? I would think so. The high-priority worry is real. Seniors can be susceptible to influence from people trying to take advantage of them. Safety is a high priority here, and immediate action is needed when mental capacity is questioned.

This is why loving family members should guide the care and pay attention to the progression of memory decline. It is already a problem when the aging person does not accept the reality of diminished capacity. Even after sharing and being sensitive to needs and wants, they still fight for autonomy. We must always put ourselves in the shoes of others and imagine if it were us. What safety strategies to put in place when caregiver advocacy is a high priority?

· Safety Is Strategy #1!

· Communication Engagement-Talk To Your Loved One, Often.

· Medication Safety And Compliance

· Doors And Window Locks

· Car Key Removal

· Bath And Shower Water Temperature

· Bedroom Safety

· Good Lighting

· Clear Pathways

As Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate, know that lack of engagement is a safety hazard. Supervision is the role of caregiver advocacy. Create a culture of safe caregiving.