I don’t know how some caregivers who have never had any experience working in a hospital or such an environment make it.

Fortunately for me, when I began caring for my parents, I was already familiar with how to care for others because I had worked as a transportation orderly in a hospital and a direct support professional in several group homes for people with disabilities. For those lacking such experiences, becoming a caregiver would be much more difficult.

Because of my experience, I already knew various techniques for changing the sheets under someone who is bedridden, how to adjust their position in bed, how to help them get into and out of bed, and how to carefully and safely administer medication.

Moreover, several products were essential for making the experience much easier.

I benefited greatly from adult diapers and absorbent underpads to help keep their beds protected from urine and feces; a hospital bed that could be raised and lowered as a whole and at the head and knee areas; and a trapeze bar above the bed.

The adjustable hospital bed made it easier for me to move my mother around in the bed and, by raising or lowering it to the appropriate height, helped me lessen the strain on my back.

The trapeze bar above my mother enabled her to sometimes help pull herself up in bed.

One of the things I had the hardest time with was feces. I gagged and almost threw up many times while cleaning up after my parents when they used the bathroom. I tried not to let them see how difficult it was for me, but it was extremely difficult at time for me and probably is for you as well.

The bedpan was difficult to empty and clean and sometimes I couldn’t get it under my parents quickly enough, so they’d end up using the bathroom on themselves and the bed.

Disposable absorbent underpads and adult diapers helped a lot. I learned how to put the pads under them and pull them out without having to see so much feces. And I learned to put on and take off the adult diapers and dispose of them quickly, often without having to see so much poop.

Of course, they went through a lot of them, and they could get expensive. Fortunately, my sister used to send us large boxes of both regularly.

Anyway, over time, you might figure a lot of these things out on your own.

However, it’s more helpful if someone shows you these things and helps you avoid months or years of trial and error.

In this section, I and others will share tips, tricks and techniques that will make your life as a caregiver easier.

Rick