You need to help a dependent loved one, and you don’t feel ready? It’s normal: often suffered, this situation requires, all of a sudden, to organize to face it. From administrative procedures to support options (for you), here are 10 tips to help you adapt to this big change.

1. Check with Health Insurance

The Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie of your loved one does not intervene directly in the problems of loss of autonomy. It is, however, a very valuable source of information on your rights and procedures.

In addition to this information, be aware that as a family carer, you can obtain extra-legal benefits through Health Insurance, particularly in the event of a difficult family or material situation.

2. Contact a social worker

This is the second contact to be made from your first days as a caregiver: the social worker (from your municipality or from the hospital where your loved one is staying). She will be able to help you find financing solutions .

Do not hesitate to call on her, because she will save you a lot of time and energy in completing administrative files or directing you to the most relevant service.

3. Contact specialized structures

Once you have taken some initial information from the two previous interlocutors, it will be time for you to identify the structures that specifically correspond to your loved one’s situation.

Does your loved one have a disability and is under 60? It is towards the MDPH ( Departmental House of Disabled Persons ) that you must turn. It will facilitate your procedures, for your requests for assistance, accommodation, etc.

Understand your new responsibilities

We are not going to hide it from you: even if we support a dependent relative with pleasure and it is a completely natural process, it is also a profound upheaval in his everyday life.

4. Surround yourself (and find substitutes)

Your loved one may show the first signs of Alzheimer ‘s , have suffered a stroke or more simply suffer the effects of age. Be that as it may, the announcement of the diagnosis is often a trying moment. At this point, any help is welcome, even a friendly ear. Friends, family, professionals… don’t stay alone, talk about your situation and the problems you are having.

If it turns out that your loved one is going to need daily support, take the time to ask other family members, friends or neighbors if they would be available to volunteer some of their time. And thus provide you with fallback solutions, so you don’t have to take on everything alone.

5. Don’t ostrich at work

There are 8.3 million family caregivers like you in France. Half of whom must manage to juggle between supporting a loved one and active life. And it’s not always easy… Especially since the first instinct is often to draw a clear line between “work” and “personal”.

6. Talk with other caregivers

The pro-life articulation of the caregiver is crucial. But this is only one aspect of your new life. Few people, even in your circle of friends, will understand what you are going through as well as another caregiver.

It is on the basis of this observation that many associations and places of exchange have been created. Support groups, carers ‘ cafes, psychological support… Throughout France, you can find listening, advice and social ties.

7. Get trained to help better!

This is a phrase that often comes up in the mouths of caregivers: you are never sufficiently prepared to deal with the addiction of a loved one. Helping cannot be improvised, yet we are often let loose in this new life without any particular knowledge.

Be aware that training (free or eligible for the DIF) exists to learn the essential gestures, the right attitudes, the essential skills… to better organize yourself and better support your loved one. One of the best known is that provided by the France Alzheimer association for those whose loved one suffers from this pathology, but it is not the only one. If you are helping a loved one with a disability, find out about the RePairs Aidant training offered by APF France Handicap.

8.  Learn to collaborate with healthcare professionals

Taking on everything alone is exhausting. Don’t try to take on all the roles! On the contrary, know how to pass the baton to other relatives or health professionals (nurse, home help, etc.). With them, learn to understand each other and to dialogue, in the interest of your loved one… and yours.

9. Let go once in a while

It is essential to make time for yourself . A few hours or a few days, a “break” will do you a lot of good… provided that everything is well organized so that you can leave without a second thought.

10. Consider investment solutions

The problem cannot be solved with a few days off? Temporary or long-term placement is sometimes essential if you are no longer able to manage daily life. Here again, there are many options for entrusting your loved one to others over a given period, a few days a week or a month… These solutions, as well as the various leaves offered to caregivers, are detailed in the article below. .