Every senior is different, and so is every caregiver\u2019s day. One gets up at six, another at ten. One likes to go out, another is afraid of stairs. One needs help washing, another just a reminder to take their medication. A good caregiver knows how to adapt. She pays attention to how the senior is feeling and adjusts her approach accordingly. Sometimes it\u2019s enough to just wait. Other times, quick assistance is needed. But adapting is easy when you know what to expect. In a stranger\u2019s home, without any information, it\u2019s difficult. The first few days are then spent guessing and trying things out. The senior notices this and may become anxious. Atena is an agency that has been placing caregivers with families in Germany and the Netherlands for 18 years. It has a solution to this problem: a daily schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A diagnosis is important, but it\u2019s not enough. It tells you what the senior has. It doesn\u2019t tell you what you need to do. Example: You get just one sentence: \u201cMr. Hans, 82 years old, diabetes and dementia.\u201d You know what\u2019s wrong with him. You don\u2019t know when he eats breakfast. You don\u2019t know what calms him down when he\u2019s nervous. You don\u2019t know if he needs help walking. Without a plan, you figure these things out on your own, by trial and error, during the first few days. That\u2019s challenging for both you and the senior.<\/p>\n\n
The daily schedule provides an overview of the entire day at home. It is digital and includes times and activities. It always reflects the current situation in the household. You\u2019ll receive it before you arrive, not once you\u2019re there. It also includes the client\u2019s profile. The profile describes the senior, their habits, and their needs. Atena has completely redesigned the daily schedule to make it practical for caregivers. The schedule is not a list of medical conditions. It\u2019s a guide for the day: what to do, when, and how. This way, the caregiver can prepare at home before heading out.<\/p>\n\n
A good plan outlines the entire day, from morning to night. Example: Mr. Hans, 82 years old, with diabetes and early-stage dementia.<\/p>\n\n
7:30 \u2013 Gently wake Mr. Hans. He only needs supervision while washing.
Notice the difference. The diagnosis says \u201cdiabetes.\u201d The plan says \u201ctea without sugar\u201d and \u201ccheck your blood sugar before lunch.\u201d The diagnosis says \u201cdementia.\u201d The plan says \u201ckeep the lights dim\u201d and \u201cgently guide him back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
On the first day, you know what to do and when. You don\u2019t have to ask about every little detail, and you don\u2019t have to guess anything. You don\u2019t have to figure everything out on your own, and you don\u2019t start from scratch. You can focus on what\u2019s important: the senior. Another example: Mrs. M\u00e1ria, 79 years old, after hip surgery. Her plan is different. In the morning, help getting up and walking with a walker; in the morning, exercises as prescribed by the physical therapist; in the evening, help getting undressed. Every senior has their own plan, so one-size-fits-all isn\u2019t enough. Even if the same caregiver were looking after them, the plans would be completely different. A caregiver who is calm and prepared gives the senior a sense of security.<\/p>\n\n
Would you like to work as a live-in caregiver in Germany or the Netherlands? Atena does not charge <\/a>caregivers any fees. We help them with their travel arrangements and are available by phone whenever they need advice. Check out the job listings at atena.sk<\/a> and get in touch with us. We\u2019ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A caregiver in Germany and the Netherlands must be able to adapt to each senior. However, a diagnosis alone is not enough. She needs to know what to do, when, and how. A daily schedule with times, activities, and the client\u2019s profile will show her this even before she arrives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":407839,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[56,341],"tags":[],"acf":{"facebookpost":"\ud83c\udfe1 Every senior is different. And a diagnosis won\u2019t tell you what to do from morning to night. \ud83d\udccb A daily schedule, however, will. Take a look at an example of what a good schedule for a caregiver looks like. \ud83d\udc49 You can find the full article at the link.","popis_socialneho_obrazku":"Your First Day at a Senior's Home: Do You Know What to Do?"},"yoast_head":"\n