When you’re facing a new unknown challenge, where do you begin? This is a difficulty many people run into when they find themselves stepping into the role of a caregiver for the first time. Oftentimes, caregivers are unaware of where they need to provide greater assistance, or where seeking supplemental help is appropriate.
This can lead to stress and worries quickly building up.
Lexie is one such caregiver that experienced this very same dilemma. For the longest time, Lexie and her husband George faced tough times together in their Illinois home. “Life didn’t give us much of a break, but we stayed strong,” Lexie told us. “We did our best to stay afloat. Our daughter would often stop by to help whenever she could.”
Unfortunately for the family, life became significantly harder when George suffered a bad fall that left him in a wheelchair. “It wasn’t ever a situation we considered we’d be in. We all struggled to cope and adapt to it,” Lexie said. George was no longer in a position to support them, but insisted on remaining independent and caring for his own needs while at home.
Lexie did what she could to help, but caregiving was stressful and unfamiliar territory. Their daughter would stop by to help around the house when she could, but the added work from George’s injury was exhausting for everyone involved.
“George needed more help. We all needed more help, but we weren’t sure about what we needed,” said Lexie. She wanted to take these concerns to the family’s primary care physician, but felt uncertain about what to ask or how to communicate the situation properly.
At the urging of her daughter, Lexie met with the family physician to explain her worries. Understanding the problem, their doctor directed Lexie to download and utilize the CaringWire app.
CaringWire is an easy-to-use app that empowers caregivers with the proper knowledge and support so they can provide the best care possible. Lexie was able to browse topics relevant to caregivers, and explore those she was less familiar with. Through taking the self-assessments and going through the educational guides, Lexie was better able to understand how to communicate George’s situation. Her health literacy was improved and she brought many questions to the appointment that the guides had helped her consider.
“I had no idea. It was one of those things you never would have considered until it was pointed out to you,” Lexie explained to us. “It was a relief to have guidance on those small things.”
Things started to turn around for the whole family.
With Lexie primed by CaringWire’s guides, the following meetings about George’s situation were far more efficient. The areas of support where George and Lexie required more assistance were eventually pinpointed, and a plan was established: utilize supplemental benefits from local social service providers to match George with the care he needed in areas that Lexie couldn’t fill in for.
“It was easy once we got started and the companies we matched to were so quick to help. We found a service George loved within a few weeks,” Lexie told us.
With George’s health needs taken care of and proper guidance on how to provide as a caregiver, the whole family felt weight lifted off their shoulders.