Caring for a Loved One with a Disability

If you look after someone who suffers from a disease or disorder or had an accident or injuries that have resulted in a long term disability - a disability that lasts more than a few weeks or months, then you know how hard it is to adapt to living with a disability.

Most of the care given to people with a long term disability is informal. The caregiver is either a member of the family or a close friend, often with little or no training in care giving. Most caregivers also have numerous other responsibilities that can conflict with giving the best care to their loved one. These factors cause problems not only for the caregiver, but also for the person with the long term disability.

Formal and Informal Caregivers

However well meaning an untrained caregiver may be, there are some skills that they won't have. Often, a solution that can work for all concerned is a mixture of formal and informal care for the person with a long term disability. Home help agencies supply skilled nursing care on a basis that suits the full-time caregiver. This may mean that nurses visit to give specific aid such as help with bathing or medications, or it may mean that nursing aid is supplied on a longer basis, but in the home.

Another solution that can help people with long term disabilities retain some of their independence is to live in an assisted living facility. Usually an assisted living facility will have self-contained living units such as studio or one bed room apartments with small kitchens, and communal areas with professional aid available as needed.

Whatever solutions are reached, compromise is necessary. Living with long term disability can be managed well, with as much independence for the disabled person as is reasonable.