Challenges and solutions to managing long-term illness at home

Anyone who has a chronic illness or knows a close family member who has one knows that it can be difficult. In addition to the disease itself, there are a number of difficulties that may come with living with the disease. Some challenges are things you have to overcome every day and can be particularly exhausting. Although long-term illness often involves an extended stay in hospital, the reality is that most people spend most of their time at home.

Living with a long-term illness at home has its challenges, but there are also solutions to these challenges. Many solutions require only minor changes, finding ways to increase the patient’s comfort or mobility, finding ways to provide greater emotional relief or maintain motivation, or even reduce the financial burden of living with a long-term illness. Let’s take a closer look at some of the challenges and solutions that are common to both caregivers and the chronically ill person.

Maintain comfort and increase mobility

For many people with chronic illnesses, just getting used to the disease can be difficult. Many chronic diseases cause fatigue, muscle weakness and pain. All this makes it difficult to achieve comfort even in the best of circumstances. The reality for many people with long-term illnesses is that ordinary furniture is simply not suitable for the use or assistance of caregivers.

Although it may be difficult to eliminate the symptoms of pain and weakness, it is much easier to purchase furniture designed for people with weaker conditions. By searching for specialized chairs or I am selling reliable hospital bedsthe comfort of people suffering from a chronic disease may increase slightly. Many beds and chairs designed for chronically ill people take into account their lack of mobility and therefore have features that make sitting or getting up easier. This can be particularly useful when caring for someone with a long-term illness, as it reduces the burden on the caregiver.

The level of investment in this type of solution should be adjusted to the requirements. If sitting for long periods of time causes minor discomfort, a specialized padded chair or a bed with a raised backrest will suffice. For more extreme needs, equipment is available that can help lift and turn patients while they are lying down and allows caregivers to help them stand up with minimal physical effort on their part.

Transforming the environment in which a chronically ill person spends most of their time into one designed to help them will not only reduce the physical burden, but will likely help them fight the mental war as well.

Emotional and mental struggle

For most people, living with a long-term or chronic illness can be emotionally and mentally taxing. Dealing with loss of independence, frustration with the situation, and feelings of depression and anxiety are all part of the reality of living with a long-term illness. For caregivers and family members of chronically ill people, there is also a common feeling of guilt and helplessness, as well as the possibility of burnout if they are required to sacrifice their own desires to help a loved one.

Finding solutions to mental warfare is often not as simple or convenient as purchasing new furniture, but it is just as important, if not more important, than achieving a level of physical comfort. There are many things you can do to help people with chronic illnesses and their caregivers win the mental battle, including:

• Communicate freely with each other about needs and feelings. The opportunity to engage in open dialogue can help both caregivers and chronically ill people feel closer and better understand each other.
• Undertaking professional therapy or counseling. Even if you just want to talk about your feelings, talking to a professional can be extremely beneficial.
• Joining social support groups. Being part of a community of people with similar experiences helps you feel like you’re not going through this alone.
• Raising interests. While the suggestion may seem cheeky, an important part of helping them live with their illness is to make sure both people with chronic illness continue to do things purely for fun.

Remember that everyone deals with situations differently. The key is to find what will ease your mental load. If therapy doesn’t work, perhaps a hobby like reading or painting could be therapeutic.

The elephant in the room, cost

This topic may not be pleasant to discuss, but the harsh reality is that in many cases, living with a chronic illness can be expensive. Not only are there costs involved, sometimes exorbitant, for medications, equipment and potentially necessary home modifications, but it also takes into account that income streams are likely to decline or cease. For many families, this means making sacrifices and trying to find their way through complicated financial systems.

There is no silver bullet that can alleviate the financial reality of living with a long-term illness. Some families will simply have fewer options than others, but there are some things everyone can do to help, such as:

• Reaching out to social workers. It is imperative that you contact someone who specializes in finding help and helping people in your situation. They will know the ins and outs of the various programs and grants that may be able to help you.
• Register for benefits. In many areas and regions, some level of government assistance is available for people with chronic illnesses and financial hardship. It may not be a perfect solution, but it’s time to ask for help.
• Budget and plan. Where possible, plan for the future and budget accordingly.
• Take advantage of sales and second-hand options. It may not be ideal, but paying attention to refurbished and used options for tertiary needs, such as furniture, can save you a lot of money.

The financial reality can often be bleak, but taking some steps to help you feel at least somewhat in control will likely alleviate some of your financial stress.

Don’t let your daily routine dominate you

For many people with chronic and chronic diseases, their daily routine can be complicated and tiring. Visits to the doctor are necessary and complicated medication regimens, plus normal activities such as maintaining personal hygiene, cleaning the house and preparing meals may be difficult or impossible. Daily routine can be extremely difficult for many people with chronic illnesses.

Everyone’s situation is different, but some solutions to make your daily routine easier include:

• Using technology. If possible, invest in intelligent technologies and applications can help you organize your day. Medication and hygiene reminders can help you stay organized.
• Plan it. If you plan your entire daily routine, it will reduce the likelihood that something important will be missed.
• Use automation. Grocery delivery or scheduled prescription refills can be a huge time saver for chronically ill people and their caregivers.
• Prepare in advance. Preparing meals, medications and appointments in advance is a smart time-saving method. This means cooking batches of things and scheduling medications for the week ahead of time.

While specific situations will vary, preparation and planning will likely be helpful for everyone, even if it only allows you to mentally understand what each day will likely look like.

Staying connected and community

For many people with a long-term or long-term illness, feelings of isolation and disconnection can be common. They must leave behind their former lives and all the connections and socialization that came with them. They may be limited by their condition and may often feel as if the world goes on without them, leaving them forgotten and alone.

Fighting these feelings is a key part of the mental war against chronic disease. Fortunately, there are many simple ways to help people feel connected to others. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Keeping in touch. Keeping in touch and encouraging family and friends to visit periodically can improve your mood tremendously.
• Use volunteers. Many regions have volunteer programs designed specifically to help people feel connected, even if they cannot leave their homes.
• Join digital communities. The modern digital age is full of digital communities that people can join. Almost every interest or hobby under the sun has a digital community associated with it. Connecting with these communities is a great way to meet new friends and stay social.

Even if their old social lives are a thing of the past, people with chronic illnesses can find ways to connect with others and build a new social life.

Keeping hope alive matters

One of the most difficult things for many people with chronic and long-term illnesses is maintaining hope for the future. Being diagnosed with something that radically changes your future plans and expectations in life can be devastating. But losing hope for the future is a powerful blow in mental warfare.

While the big picture may not seem ideal, taking comfort in small victories is often the best way to maintain hope. Any reason to celebrate is good.

Add to this setting realistic goals. It’s not realistic to plan to run a marathon immediately, but getting to the end of the garden and back may be within your reach. Even a small goal or achievement, such as learning a skill online, can be enough to give someone a newfound sense of purpose.

Many people can find comfort in things like meditation, faith, and philosophy, and there are huge libraries on the Internet for all of these disciplines. Sharing your experiences with others and helping them come to terms with their illness can also provide a sense of purpose and hope.

It may seem impossible, but maintaining a positive attitude and hope for the future can be extremely important to someone’s well-being.

Final thoughts

Living with a chronic or long-term illness is one of the most difficult things many people experience. This requires enormous strength, both from chronically ill people and from their friends and family.

We have discussed just a few of the challenges that chronically ill people face on a daily basis. Everyone will have different experiences and face different challenges, but each challenge they face will have some solutions.

Keep your hope alive and live your best life, whatever that means for you and however you can.