Taking care of people with disabilities requires a great deal of effort and patience. The community is full of people with mental and physical disabilities who need care but not everyone has the skills needed to watch over a disabled relative. The most important thing about caring for someone is ensuring that they go about their lives with dignity and so here are some ways to do just that and improve your care skills.

1. Personal hygiene

The mere fact that you help a family member dress, visit the toilet, eat and do everything else means that you come into contact with a lot of germs. It is therefore important for you to maintain strict personal hygiene standards. Make sure that you wash your hands regularly with soap just as you would if you worked in a care home to protect both the person you are caring for and yourself from germs and infections.

2. Exercise

Personal care givers spend more than 40 hours every week attending to disabled people. You could be spending even more time than that  considering that you are providing care in your own home. This may leave you feeling exhausted and with little energy for anything else. Make sure though that you take some time to exercise. You could go on an early morning or evening jog which will relieve your mind of stress and rejuvenate the body. You could even bring the person you're caring for on walk with you using a mobility scooter.

3. Time off

Everyone deserves a break and stress and fatigue can make you ill. Ask another relative to come and relieve you every so often or if you can’t find anyone you can get some professional help.. Pick a day such as Saturday or Sunday when everyone else is around. Take your time off and spend it well.

4. Medical check-up

Go for regular medical checkups to ensure that you are fit enough to look after someone else. If the stress of care giving starts to take its toll on you then you will need to get help. Having regular checkups will give you piece of mind and the confidence to give the best care that you can.

5. Be motivated

Few people can shoulder the stresses of taking care of the disabled. Keep yourself motivated. Join a peer group and share your experiences with others. Learn from their personal experiences too. It will encourage you to carry on. The most important thing is not isolate yourself and feel like you’re alone in your car giving. If you have family and friends around you then call on them for help as much as you can and remember to live your own life too.