Caring for someone at home who is in a situation of dependency

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Caring for someone at home who is in a situation of dependency is no easy task. It changes the lives of all the relatives or friends involved in that person’s care. Depending on the person’s level of dependency, carers need specific knowledge and skills, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Even so, the family is still where dependent people receive most help and protection.

Providing care is something that many people become involved in at some point in their lives. A great many people are currently caring for close relatives who are unable to look after themselves. For some, this circumstance is brief and temporary. In others, the need for care can last months or even years.

Caring for someone who cannot look after themselves is a challenging and tiring job, so it’s important to be prepared both physically and emotionally.

In most cases, there is one person in the family who assumes most responsibility for providing the care given, and it is usually a woman. Caring for a relative who depends on our help to ensure his or her needs are met can be one of the most moving and satisfying experiences possible, but for the carer it can also be solitary and highly stressful.

Providing caring for someone who cannot look after themselves is a challenging and tiring job, so it’s important to be prepared, to be “trained” both physically and emotionally to ensure that our own health does not suffer as a result.

Relatives or family friends who provide care, often in the home of the person being looked after, are known as informal or non-professional carers.

Knowing the circumstances, methods and techniques for providing suitable care, and understanding the importance of caring for the carer, can make it easier to help people in a situation of dependency.

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