Family Caregiver Duties

The concept of family caregiving is common, especially with the Baby Boomer set, whose parents are aged and beginning to endure health problems that are chronic. In fact, the Baby Boomer generation is now reaching the age at which they need caregivers themselves. While there is gratification for caregivers, there is also a certain amount of physical and mental stress involved. Family caregiver duties include providing both assistance and compassion to those who require basic aid in everyday living.

Personal Care Help

• One of the duties of a family caregiver is to assist the loved one in the shower, or to take a sponge bath, or with personal hygiene. If the loved one requires aid with personal grooming, nails, hair or oral care, the caregiver must look after that, too. If the loved one needs to be moved from his bed to his wheelchair, the caregiver must help out with that also. Incontinence care and even helping the loved one go to the toilet are further duties.

Looking out for Health

• Monitoring a loved one's health is another duty that falls on the family caregiver. A family caregiver has to monitor the vital signs of the loved one he's caring for, which includes blood pressure, temperature, respiration and pulse. Equally important is reminding the loved one to take his medications, whether they be over-the-counter medications or prescription medications.

Managing Household

• Washing the dishes is a family caregiver duty.

  A family caregiver is expected to help manage the household. The family caregiver should make sure that the cleanliness of the loved one's house is maintained. She must also see to it that she makes the loved one's bed regularly and changes the bedsheets. Another duty with respect to managing the household is to both wash and dry the clothes of the loved one. In addition, a family caregiver is also expected to wash kitchenware.

Reporting Changes

• Vomiting is a change in condition that a caregiver must report.

  Another family caregiver duty relates to reporting any changes in the condition of the loved one being looked after. A family caregiver must report to the rest of the family or to a doctor if the loved one should fall, experience any burns or injuries, or suffer any tears in his skin. Similarly, if the loved one appears to either be confused or starts to hallucinate, these changes have to be reported, too. Other changes that have to be reported are if the loved one vomits, gets diarrhea, bleeds, becomes weak or develops any swelling on the body.