Start a Caregiver Journal- Diaries are not just for Teens

Caregiver’s Journal
One the very helpful things that a family caregiver can do for herself or himself is keep a daily journal . Teenagers are not the only one’s who benefit from diaries. When you are taking care of an older family member, a daily journal is a plus in many ways.

You can unload your frustrations and anxieties in a safe place- on a piece of paper. This helps you to remain the peanut butter and not the jelly- spilling all over the caregiver sandwich.. That oozing jelly can get on the person you care for. Anger and frustration have a place in caregiving- it is a terribly tough job. But a journal is a strong repository for all those miserable feelings - keeping them contained like a plain peanut butter sandwich.

You can also keep a daily record of changes in the health older person you a care for. Don’t trust your memory. If a rash starts , then spreads the next day then goes away but shows up the following week in the same pattern this is a good thing to note.
If the person you are caring for has a dry cough that persists over time note it in the journal each day. Don’t trust your recall later. Caregiver’s are too overwhelmed to track everything.

When you go to your physicians appointment you only have ten minutes with the Dr now. Journals help you to use that short shot of the physician’s time wisely. If you have kept a journal daily you can sum up what you need to tell the doctor during those precious minutes . This will equal better use of the brief appointment and better care for the one you love.
One more thing
Put the Journal in the car the night before . Getting the older relative ready to go out in the vehicle plus remembering all the other things you have to do before the appointment -can leave the journal behind. A stitch in time saves nine.