Interactive Caregiving has been part of my life before I even started with Comfort Keepers. I got my undergrad in Therapeutic Recreation (TR), which is a form of therapy in which the Therapeutic Recreation Specialist forms a program for the individual to assist in their rehabilitation. Whether it is a stroke patient trying to gain their strength back in one side of their body, or someone who has to adjust to a new way of life due to an accident or injury. The TRS gets a feel for what that person enjoyed prior to their loss and develops a program to maintain their mental, physical, and social activities in whatever way they can.
When I think about Interactive Caregiving, I can easily compare it to Therapeutic Recreation. Comfort Keepers developed this program to raise senior’s quality of life and maintain as much independence as possible. I remember that one of my final projects in college was to create a plan for a senior who was suffering from depression, couldn’t see, and had little independence despite her insistence that she could care for herself. It was a very difficult case because everything that I introduced to her she turned down. Finally, one day she allowed me to play classical music that I brought with my portable CD player, and you should have seen the way she lightened up! She was so happy to have just a little bit of art in her life (she was very interested in the arts). Unfortunately, I couldn’t get her outside to enjoy the sun and maybe go to a concert offered by the university, but it was a great feeling of success even if it seemed like such a small thing.
Comfort Keepers was a great way to incorporate my classes and school into my work, and considering I am still with the company, my background in Therapeutic Recreation has proven to be very beneficial in the efforts to incorporate Interactive Caregiving to senior’s care.
There are three areas that Comfort Keepers Interactive Caregiving focuses on: mind, body, and nutrition. There are various activities that can aid in keeping a senior’s mind active. Examples could be games, crossword puzzles, writing letters, or enjoying a hobby. Maintaining physical strength is extremely important in protecting seniors from falls and we want them to get out of the house for walks, or assist in various activities around the house whenever they can (See my last blog on 10/9/12 about Free Home Safety Assessments to aid in fall prevention). Keeping them moving is the best we can do. Lastly, nutrition is important for any age, and it is no different for seniors. Most seniors have restrictions on what they can eat, which is why we always ask when first meeting clients if they have any allergies or special diets. Combine these three things and hopefully, we can maintain as much independence possible for the senior.
If you’re interested in learning more about Comfort Keepers and the services we have to offer, please contact us at 619-739-4596.
