The Social Care - Essay Example

Social Care Introduction There has been an increasing trend for people with illness to receive care in their own homes (Bell, 2001). Home care can bedescribed as the wide range of services that are provided to the patients in the patients home. With the help of home care, people can choose to remain at their house rather than moving to an institution to get care. Home care services are provided by various experts such as nursing care providers, physical therapists, occupational and speech therapists, social services and by family members (Drake and Davies, 2006). While home care by family members proves to be a great support system, there are some difficulties and challenges that those providing and receiving care may face. This study looks at challenges when home care is provided by family members and tries to explore some ways in which these challenges can be overcome. Challenges in Providing and Receiving Home Care For an ailing person, receiving care and assistance from a member of the family is very helpful and is also, ideally, emotionally uplifting. However, there are some common challenges that the caregiver faces. Accuracy in delivering medical care Family members sometimes find it difficult to deliver accurate medical care. The home care process may include administering injections, collecting blood samples for tests, hooking the patient to an IV whenever necessary and so on, depending on the health condition of the patient and his or her medical requirements (Leich, 2000). Each of these steps needs to be carried out with a high level of accuracy and hence, family members often face the challenge of administrating medical care accurately. Time and Energy Constraints Taking care of an ailing person requires time and energy on the part of the care giver. The person who has been providing care often finds it difficult to manage his or her own personal work and office along with providing care. Hence, care givers often face the challenge of appropriately distributing their time and energy to the varied tasks they have to perform (Kinsella et al, 1998). It is important for the care provider to understand time management techniques and also to take good care of their own health so that they can give their patient the necessary care. Loneliness and Overwork Providing care can be tedious and also a monotonous work. In cases where the patient is very ill, then it becomes a full time job. Therefore, the care giver may have to battle loneliness (Leich, 2000). The work of a care giver is also demanding and can lead to overwork. While their intention may be to provide the best possible care to the patient, the level of exhaustion may prevent accurate care. Psychological challenges It is not easy to spend a considerable amount of time with an ailing patient because it can result in an atmosphere of negativity and emotional upheavals (Golander, 1992). Hence, care givers also face the challenge of coping up with the emotional demands of being with a patient. It is not only the care providers that face the challenges, the ailing patients also have to battle some psychological challenges when they receive health care. These may relate to their feeling of helplessness and the perception of being a burden on the other family members (Golander, 1992). Guilt and Frustration A major challenge that patients who receive care face is related to their reluctance to accept that they are dependent on someone else for all their needs (Bruera et al, 2004). The patients may feel guilty about the fact that they are causing inconvenience to the others. In addition, being a patient also results in frustration, especially if the condition is chronic and untreatable. Difficultly in communicating As the patients are overwhelmed by the care provided to them, they hesitate to communicate and provide feedback to the care givers. Hence, they compromise on the quality of care that they receive. Recommendations to Overcome the Challenge of Home Care Even though there are a number of challenges that both home care providers and home care receivers face, if good care is provided, then it becomes a satisfying experience for both of them. Therefore, it is necessary to overcome the challenges that they encounter and facilitate a better environment which is more fulfilling for both the patient and the care giver. The first step to avoiding any critical challenges in home based health care, it is essential to assess if the care giver is eligible to take on the task. It is not possible for everyone to provide home care to someone who needs care. The person who intends to provide care should be physical, mentally and emotional fit so that they can provide the best possible care (Zastocki and Rovinski-Wagner, 2000). In addition, they should also thoroughly understand the demands of the work and provide commitment. They should also be willing to participate in the training sessions that will equip them to take care of the patient. With each person who needs care, the demands will be different and hence, the hospital or the doctors will provide the necessary instructions. Similarly, all patients are also not eligible for home based care (Zastocki and Rovinski-Wagner, 2000). Some patients that may require immediate medical attention would be required to stay in a medical institution until the doctor recommends home care. If the condition is infectious or requires the need of an extremely sterile environment, the patient may not have the option of home care. Similarly, the patient also should have a willing individual who can provide the necessary care. When it comes to the family care providers, it is a good option to split the responsibilities among two or three members of the family. In that way, each care giver can manage both their time and energy better (Kristjanson et al, 2003). This will also enable them to pursue their careers along with giving care. It also has other advantages because one single person will not be overworked and responsibilities and tasks are shared. In situations, where it is not possible for any other family members to provide the support needed, it is recommended that an external care giver should be hired so that the responsibilities can be shared (Bornstein and Lanquirand, 2009). Any lapse in administrating the medical procedures at home could be attributed to the lack of proper training. Proper training can give the confidence to the home care provider in administering any medical procedures. The task of a home care provider is not easy because they have to go through the psychological challenges. For example, if a patient is terminally ill, it can be taxing emotionally because of the fear of impending death. Such challenges can be overcome with the help of communication (Easton, 1999). Whenever possible, other members of the family should try to communicate with the home care provider so that it is much easier to deal with the tough situation. In addition, there are home care providers communities where they can meet, discuss and find solutions to such challenges (Easton, 1999). These forums are also a good platform for the care givers to interact and share any best practices. Participating on such forums can help in fighting issues related to loneliness. The patient who receives the care goes to the emotional challenge of being dependent. Hence, it is necessary for the care giver to communicate with the patient so that they do not feel guilty about the fact that they are being dependent. It is difficult to keep the morale high of the patients, but a good understanding of the palliative techniques can prove to be helpful. Encouraging healthy competition, pursing any interest which is possible within the limitation of the diseases and considering other entertainment options are some ways in which the patient frustration level can be lowered (Maida, 2002). Also, family members and the care givers should make sure that they do not let the patient feel helpless. Conclusion This study highlighted the different challenges that are faced by the care providers as well as the recipients. It is possible to overcome these challenges with the help of co-operation, support, counseling and understanding and training. Furthermore, it is necessary that only eligible people step forward as care givers and the patients are also eligible for receiving home care. In the case of terminal illness that needs palliative care, the support in the form of care from a family member proves to be very useful. References Bell, L. (2001). Competence in home care. Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, 2(2), 13-20 Bornstein, R and Lanquirand, M. (2009). When Someone You Love Needs Nursing Home, Assisted Living, or In-Home Care. London : William Morrow Bruera, E., DeLima, L., Wenk, R., Farr, W. (2004). Palliative care in the developing world: principles and practice. IAHPC Press: Houston Drake, P., Davies, B. (2006). Home care outsourcing strategy. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 20(3), 175-193 Easton, K. L. (1999). Using focus groups in rehabilitation nursing. Rehabilitation Nursing, 24(6), 212-215. Golander, H. (1992). Under the guise of passivity: We can communicate warmth, caring, and respect. In: J. 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