Finding Strength Together: Caregiver Support After a Fall and the Power of Trust

Falling Into Caregiving

I’ve come to think of everything through a caregiving lens, even the change of the season from summer to fall.Fall. That’s how most caregivers end up caregiving – they fall into it. It starts out slowly and builds from there as your loved one’s care needs grow.

The Trust Fall: A Perfect Metaphor for Caregiving

I saw a video recently of a trust fall. If you don’t know what a “trust fall” is, it’s a team-building exercise where a person stands up and then falls backward, trusting that their team will catch them. While watching this, I was struck by the notion that a trust fall is a great analogy for caregiving. There aren’t many other relationships that rely as much on trust as a caregiver and care recipient.

The Foundation of Caregiver Support After a Fall: Trust and Dignity

Think about how much trust goes into caregiving. Some of the things a caregiver does, like bathing and most other hygiene tasks, are not things normally done with someone else, so trusting the caregiver to keep the process dignified, effective, and encouraging is priceless. Caregivers know how much easier it is when the one you’re caring for is on the same page as you are. That’s the foundation of a trusting relationship. The stronger the foundation, the easier it is to keep building on it.

When Cognitive Changes Create New Challenges

Caring for someone with a progressive cognitive deficit is fraught with challenges and surprises. As a person's cognition changes, so do their reactions and interpretations of the world around them, making it imperative that they have some trusted people in their life. Someone who they believe will take care of them and has their best interest at heart is probably the best one to help them when they struggle, so when they fall back, they can trust that they will be caught.

Building Trust Through Connection and Communication

Get to Know the Person Behind the Diagnosis

Building trust starts by showing respect, and you can accomplish that by simply taking the time to really get to know the person you're caring for, even if it’s a family member you think you know. Find out what’s important to them now, what they like now, what they don't like, and ask questions about their interests, their hobbies, and what they liked doing when they were younger. No one is born 80 years old – there’s a lot of life experiences in 80 years.

Communicate With Openness and Honesty

Be open and honest in your communications. Always tell them what you’re going to do or what you need from them, and always let them know you're there to help. Allow them to do for themselves when and if they can, and work on not being judgmental or critical of the way they do things. It might take a few minutes longer, but the results will be that much sweeter.

Encourage Involvement and Independence

Encourage their involvement in their care. As much as they are able, let them direct the activities of the day. Step in when needed, but allow your person to be in the lead role.

Being Their Champion: The Heart of Caregiver Support After a Fall

Be their champion. Don’t let others talk down to them, or around them. Be the one to lift them up and remind others to do the same. Stick up for them when needed, whether it’s with another family member, doctor, or friend. Never let your person doubt you have their back, so when the difficult times come around, your person will be able to trust that you will be there to catch them if they fall.