Illness or disability requires clients and families to make adjustments. Making these adjustments may be difficult. It depends on the family’s emotional, spiritual, and financial resources. Some personal adjustments include the following:
- Accepting the illness or disability and its long-term consequences or results.
- Finding money needed to pay expenses of hospitalization or home care.
- Dealing with paperwork involved in insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare benefits.
- Taking care of tasks the client can no longer handle.
- Understanding medical information and making difficult care decisions.
- Providing daily care when the aide cannot be there.
Be sensitive to the big adjustments your clients and their families may be making. Help them by doing your job well. Refer them to your supervisor if more help is needed.