Each day Samarth Care counselors combine experience with empathy to provide trustworthy, family-quality care and support to the elderly. Sons and daughters rely on the Samarth team to support their parents back home in India — in a way they would.
Time is everything; time is precious when caring for your seniors. Samarth care members can manage a spectrum of tasks through time management, planning, making lists, and prioritizing them and myriad other ways.
They do it with warmth, without stress, and with a smile. Here, we enlist some ways that help caregivers organize strategies, manage their time, and balance caregiving duties.
1. Start with scheduling “Me Time” / Caregivers Must Start With Scheduling ‘Me Time’
With over seven years of experience in elder care, we can confidently say that effective care stems from caring for yourselves first. Samarth caregivers are cognizant — that their care will not be effective if they have nothing left to give.
Imagine a vehicle running out of fuel while still trying to reach ahead. Caring for yourself first is not selfish but required and practical. The question is: How do you do it?
The answers lie in planning and not just expecting free time to turn up. Schedule some time for yourself first; hire help, ask a friend or a family member, or source caregiving services in advance so you can take time off to pursue an activity that restores you, like listening to music or walking to break the monotony
2. Plan in Advance / Critical Role of Planning in Advance for Elder Care
Planning for a caregiving journey is essential. The key is not to get stressed out; you might feel that stress as a caregiver feels inevitable. Let’s assure you — it’s not.
Every day take a few moments out to check medication supplies and other essential supplies; these few minutes will cut out the stress of avoiding last-minute scrambles and lead to fewer frantic runs to the stores.
Spend a few minutes scanning upcoming doctor appointments to ensure someone is available to accompany your senior, and you don’t have to dig into your me-time to meet these appointments at the last minute
3. Effectively Manage Caregiving Time by Defining Roles:
First, begin by defining the roles and responsibilities of all involved in caregiving. Establish clear roles when collaborating with others. This strategy prevents confusion & assumptions about handling tasks and does not waste time, disrupt the routine, or build tensions.
Caring for our seniors can feel overwhelming – so for tasks to not fall through the cracks and prevent mix-ups — it’s ideal that all those involved know what they are doing– helping effectively manage duties
4. Make to-do lists / Caregiver Should Structure their Time with Make to-do lists
It’s easy to get defeated by the number of tasks ahead of us; the one simple solution is to create a centralized to-do list with all tasks in one place, making it easier to focus and prioritize. You can identify the top two or three tasks daily and maintain a daily priority list alongside a centralized task list.
When feeling overwhelmed, we suggest tackling a few minor tasks to boost your morale and a sense of achievement. Samarth’s caregivers focus on small victories daily; we would want all caregivers to focus on small wins and gains day after day and stay joyful about looking after their seniors.
Another tip would be to avoid procrastinating- as it only adds to your pile of existing tasks — putting things off can induce stress in you
5. Be mindful & organized / Caregivers Need to be Mindful & Well Organized
Caregiving can feel exhausting – and one way to effectively carry your tasks on time is by rooting for yourself; try positive self-talk.
When your mind is scattered, productivity takes a hit, and stress mounts. At Samarth, our caregivers avoid multitasking by dedicating full attention to each activity at the moment. When with your seniors– working or relaxing — be present, in the moment, and encourage them to participate in activities.
At Samarth, we also approach our care by addressing small tasks like filing, scanning, and discarding receipts immediately to prevent them from exhausting our to-do list. Similarly, take a few minutes to tidy up; put away clothes, caregiving supplies, or household items instead of letting clutter accumulate.
Our experience suggests decluttering and organizing your environment can alleviate stress and streamline daily routines.
How Samarth Can Help?
Samarth ensures comprehensive, dignified elder care, addressing both physical and emotional needs. Our dedicated care teams, led by compassionate counselors, blend personal touch and technology to help parents age in the comfort of their own homes. Samarth’s mission is to bring peace of mind and happiness to families. Our unique caring approach helps seniors from 95+ Indian cities to 30+ countries.
Our team accomplishes caring through meticulous planning — so they can be in the moment with their seniors.
