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The first thing that you need to know about becoming a caregiver is this: You’re doing a wonderful thing. Giving part of your life so that another can live theirs is an amazing gift. Yes, the responsibility is huge, and it involves a lot of change, but it’s also an incredibly rewarding experience.

As you begin you caregiver journey, it’s important to be aware of some crucial tips that will help you provide the best care you can. Here are some caregiver tips that can help as you prepare to take on your new role.

One of the best things you can give to the person you’re caring for is empathy. Understanding their feelings, the new challenges they face, and the limitations their needs put on their lives will go a long way, helping them to maintain their dignity through the adjustment.

Encouragement and enthusiasm are good ways to do this. Demonstrate your support by listening to them and acknowledging their feelings. Be genuine when you communicate. A big part of being a caregiver is not just helping with day-to-day tasks, but also helping the individual feel dignified and confident.

For many people, the need for a caregiver is a not an easy adjustment. It’s difficult to acknowledge that loss of independence, and some take longer than others to get there. Until they do, you may experience some resistance to your help.

When this happens, try to be patient. Remember that they are going through a major life change, and it may take a while to accept. Your assistance will not always be met with appreciation, but don’t let that dishearten you. The care you provide is still an amazing and important gift, even if it goes unrecognized.

One of the tough balancing acts you’ll have to manage as a caregiver is between patience and firmness. While it’s very important to be patient, there will be times when a little assertiveness is going to be necessary in order to provide the help that’s needed. The person you care for may not like it but remember that you are there to do what is best for them.

The best strategy for being firm is to first demonstrate how much you care. People respond better to confrontation when they know it comes from sincerity. If they believe that your actions will genuinely serve their well-being, there’s a much better chance that they’ll accept your help.

It may be tough to do, but acknowledging your own limitations is an important part to being a good caregiver. Overreaching is a common problem that caregivers face, and those who do tend to become too exhausted to continue providing the best care possible. It’s better for both you and the person you care for to recognize your own restraints before they cause future problems.

Start by identifying the areas that you may think you need help with. If time is an issue, then find someone who can help fill in when you need it. If there are care needs you’re not sure how to perform, talk with a healthcare professional about possible solutions. It’s never wrong to admit you can’t’ do it alone; the reality is that nobody can, so get support when you need it.

Becoming a caregiver means new responsibilities that demand more of your time. For people who have busy lives, finding that time can be extremely difficult. That’s why making a schedule is so important; it will help remove some of that stress and allow you to follow a daily routine with confidence that you can accomplish what you need to do.

Schedules are also important because they help set expectations between you and the person you care for. You both will have an understanding of the routine, which will eliminate unnecessary anxiety and worry. Just make sure that you discuss a schedule together so that it works for both of your needs.

As a new caregiver, you’re going to have a lot of questions. Finding great resources that answer these questions will help keep you from feeling overwhelmed. A good first step is to talk with a healthcare provider, who may have some good suggestions about where to look. Websites and online journals offer plenty of information about what to expect as a caregiver. Joining a network of other caregivers will allow you to learn directly from the experiences of others who are going through a similar situation.

As you find these resources, make sure you keep track of them for later. More questions are going to arise as you continue to provide care, so having a network you can turn to for answers will be very important for your future needs.

Lastly, and most importantly, make sure that while you care for another, you also care for yourself. Being a caregiver is an amazing sacrifice, but don’t let that keep you from staying healthy. If you’re not at your best, then both you and the person you care for will be affected.

Make sure that you still get plenty of rest and maintain a healthy diet. If you have an exercise routine, continue to follow it. It’s also a great idea to find stress-relieving activities that you like and make time to enjoy them. Going out with friends or socializing will also help reduce stress and keep you centered.

Above all else, remember this one important fact: You are making a huge difference in someone’s life. Caregiving truly is a gift of your time, energy, and love. Never forget the result of that effort, and take pride in the fact that because you, someone else’s life is that much better.

Living with a chronic condition that requires medical supplies?

Let us help you get the products you need — delivered discreetly to your door.

Many people manage ongoing health conditions, and the right medical supplies can make all the difference. The team at HCD works with you, your doctor, and your insurance plan to support a wide range of needs, including urological, ostomy, diabetes, and wound care. We’ll help ensure you get the supplies you need to manage your condition with confidence.

Call 866-938-3906 to see if you qualify or reach out through our Contact Us form by selecting “An individual looking to see if I or a loved one qualifies for medical supplies.”

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At Home Care Delivered, we know that getting your medical supplies on time is only part of the equation — making sure they are the right products for your needs is just as important. That’s why we make routine customer service calls a key part of our service.

All insurance plans require that we confirm your approval before shipping your next order of medical supplies each month. This ensures that you want your next shipment, as well as that you are getting the right supplies, in the right quantity.

Order confirmations can be completed in the way that’s most convenient for you: online through your secure HCD customer account, via our automated phone system, during a live call with one of our team members, or through our Text-to-Reorder program.

We like to speak with our customers every month to every few months to ensure their supplies are working well and performing as expected. In fact, regular check-ins are a proven way to increase satisfaction and confidence — helping customers feel supported and ensuring that their medical supplies continue to meet their needs.

During these conversations, we take the time to understand your experience. Are your products comfortable? Are you receiving the right quantity? Do you have questions about usage or accessories? Your feedback helps us adjust your orders, recommend alternative solutions if needed, and ensure we are truly meeting your needs.

Of course, with any supply change, we will work with your physician to confirm medical necessity, and get appropriate documentation and physician signature.

At HCD, our goal is to make managing your medical supplies simple, reliable, and supportive — and our customer service calls are an important part of keeping your care on track.

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The results have been tallied and the verdict is in: people love medical supply delivery.

Since 2005, the industry has nearly doubled in size, with more people choosing supply deliver over traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. The growth is expected to continue, with supply delivery overtaking retailers as the primary method of getting medical supplies.

Five reasons why people are going for medical supply delivery
Why are so many people choosing medical supply delivery? It’s simple: the advantages ver brick-and-mortar retailers are just too great to ignore. Here are the top 5 reasons why people are choosing to make the switch:

here’s no other industry that protects privacy more than healthcare. HIPAA and other regulatory practices regulate businesses serving healthcare needs, and that’s where the differences between retailers and medical suppliers begin.

Medical suppliers strictly follow HIPAA and other privacy regulations. Every transaction is confidential. Customers can find and order products anonymously, avoiding potential embarrassment of shopping in public spaces.

Customer support is a major hurdle for brick-and-mortar retailers. Most stores don’t have product experts on-staff to answer questions. That leaves customers depending on packaging descriptions to make the right choice. Because their questions might be related to sensitive medical issues, some people don’t even feel comfortable discussing them face-to-face.

There’s very little room for error when it comes to answers about medical supplies, so people are moving to medical supply delivery. With no retail spaces to upkeep, there’s greater opportunity to invest in teams dedicated to educating patients. The extra product support results in a better experience, and people like that.

Customer support is a major hurdle for brick-and-mortar retailers. Most stores don’t have product experts on-staff to answer questions. That leaves customers depending on packaging descriptions to make the right choice. Because their questions might be related to sensitive medical issues, some people don’t even feel comfortable discussing them face-to-face.

Not many people know this, but health insurance plans may actually cover the cost of medical supplies. The problem, however, is that most brick-and-mortar establishments can’t make this happen. They aren’t set up to process insurance claims, so products that might be covered must instead be purchased at the patient’s expense. For people with eligible benefits, this is a missed opportunity.

Medical supply delivery is different. With a proper diagnosis and the right paperwork, it’s possible to process insurance claims and use them to receive supplies. That means reduced personal costs and more disposable income to use for other necessities.

If there’s one thing that the pace of modern life has taught, it’s that time is precious. It’s a lesson that people are showing they’ve learned through their shopping habits. In the past few years, consumers have reduced the amount of time they actually shop, opting for online services that are much faster. Speed and convenience are now top-ranking concerns for most consumers, and this is especially true for patients.

It should be no surprise, then, that medical supply delivery is becoming the preferred option for patients. Rather than making frequent trips to the store to restock, we check in with patients each month before fulfilling their recurring order. Assuming there are no changes, the whole process requires only a few minutes every 30 days. That’s a lot of extra time that can be dedicated things other than worrying about when you have to make another supply run.

Medical supplies are not items that people can go without, and this is where brick-and-mortar stores struggle Retailers confined to a physical location are limited by the space they have to display products. This means they must be more discerning, choosing to only offer items that are the most popular or bring in the most revenue.

This is not the case for patients who use medical supply delivery. Orders ship directly from distribution warehouses, so availability is rarely an issue. Because there are no restrictions with retail space, medical supply companies can offer a far better range of products. For patients, this means fewer situations in which a patient cannot get what is needed. And that’s very good news to someone who relies on them for their well-being.

Living with a chronic condition that requires medical supplies?

Let us help you get the products you need — delivered discreetly to your door.

Many people manage ongoing health conditions, and the right medical supplies can make all the difference. The team at HCD works with you, your doctor, and your insurance plan to support a wide range of needs, including urological, ostomy, diabetes, and wound care. We’ll help ensure you get the supplies you need to manage your condition with confidence.

Call 866-938-3906 to see if you qualify or reach out through our Contact Us form by selecting “An individual looking to see if I or a loved one qualifies for medical supplies.”

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It’s not often that going to the doctor can actually help you save money. But if you’re one of the 25 million Americans that experiences incontinence, talking to your doctor may help you access the supplies you need — and could reduce your out-of-pocket costs.

Diagnosing incontinence could help you get incontinence supplies at little to no cost. Many don’t know it, but Medicaid and some private insurances cover them as a healthcare benefit. But in order for insurance to cover supplies, the supplies must be considered medically necessary to treat your condition. The only way to show that is for a doctor to diagnose you and then write a prescription for products.

Doctor diagnoses helps you get supplies.

Once the cause has been determined, you and your healthcare professional can establish a treatment plan that includes the medical supplies needed to treat incontinence.

Getting a diagnosis starts with calling your doctor and making an appointment. Speak with them honestly about your symptoms and the kind of output that you have. It may be a sensitive situation that’s hard to discuss, but you owe it to your health and happiness to take this step towards a healthy solution.

Once you’ve been diagnosed, then it’s time to contact us or enroll online. With your incontinence now officially a medical need, we can get you onboard to receive your supplies. The process is simple:

• Provide your information using the step-by-step process.
• We obtain all the paperwork from your doctor and submit it to your insurance.
• You receive discreet, monthly deliveries of quality incontinence supplies right to your door.

Signing up takes just minutes and may help reduce your costs for trusted incontinence products.

You or a loved one dealing with incontinence?

Let us help you get the supplies you need to feel supported, comfortable, and confident.
If you’re managing bladder or bowel incontinence — from light to heavy needs — our team at HCD will work with you, your doctor, and your insurance plan to deliver a personalized product solution that fits your specific situation.

Call 866-938-3906 or share your information through our online enrollment form to get started.

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Of all the factors that contribute to successful management of incontinence, one stands above others: using incontinence products correctly.

Incontinence products are not as simple as they seem. There’s a lot that can go wrong when used incorrectly, so it’s worth taking the time to learn about the differences and how they should be used.

Here’s a list of 5 tips that can help you avoid the common mistakes people make when using incontinence products.

An important part of managing incontinence is making sure the product is right for the need. Incontinence products are designed for specific types of leakage and output, so understanding their differences is key.

Here’s a quick guide to the different incontinence products and the leakage they’re designed to handle:

Keep in mind that every person’s experience will be different. Leakage differs from person to person, so ultimately, the right product is the one that best takes care of the need.

To find out what product works best for you, enroll online to see our recommended product. Our enrollment platform matches your symptoms with the best product and then will help you determine if you can use your insurance to help cover the cost.

Proper protection isn’t only about the right product; it’s also about the right size. Just like with clothing, incontinence products need to be fitted properly in order to provide comfort and protection. Here are few tips about how to know if the product fits correctly:

Bladder Control Pads – For bladder control pads, size correlates to the length and width of the pad. The larger the size, longer and wider the pad will be. Choose a pad that is comfortable when worn but is big enough to provide the right protection.

Protective Underwear/Pull Ons – For protective underwear, success is all about proper sizing. The product should not droop or dangle away from the body when worn. Make sure that waist fits snugly, and that the product firmly makes contact around the legs. Any gaps could cause leakage, so be sure that the fit is nice and secure.

Adult Briefs – For adult briefs, sizing is also very important. A good indicator of the correct size is the location of the fastener when the product is worn. Here’s what to look for:

• If the fastener reaches the center of the hip when tightly pulled, then chances are the size is correct.
• If the fastener is loose at the center of hip, then the product is probably too big.
• If it doesn’t quite reach the hip, it’s most likely too small.

As with protective underwear, it’s also important to make sure that the briefs fit snugly around the upper legs with no gaps.

With the exception of booster pads, all incontinence products are designed to be used by themselves. “Doubling up” on a product by using two items together does not double the protection from leakage.

Incontinence products have two distinct sides. One side allows liquid to pass through, while the other side does not. This is what keeps leakage from passing through and dampening skin and clothing. When two products are used at the same time, the waterproof side of one product will prevent liquid from passing through to the other.

If one product isn’t providing enough protection, then it’s probably time to consider a new one. There are plenty of options available for different absorbency needs. If there are questions about what will work best, then call one of our team members, and we’ll help find the right product for you.

Booster pads have a very unique purpose in incontinence management. As the name suggests, they are meant to “boost” leakage protection by providing a little extra absorbency. They are not meant to serve as the only source of protection. Here’s why:

Booster pads are not waterproof. They’re designed to allow leakage to pass through to another product. If there’s no other product in use, then the leakage will pass through the booster pad and dampen the skin or clothing.

Regular use of booster pads is a good indication that the product you’re using is not absorbent enough for your needs. Contact us to learn about better product options.

One of the tricky things about the term “incontinence” is that it can actually refer to two different categories: urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence. While there are many products to handle urinary incontinence, only one kind handles fecal incontinence, and that’s the adult brief.

Adult briefs differ from protective underwear and bladder control pads in two ways; They provide a much larger area of protection and can absorb more than urine. No other incontinence product offers this same kind of protection, so if fecal incontinence is in any way experienced, it’s imperative that briefs are the products that are used.

You or a loved one dealing with incontinence?

Let us help you get the supplies you need to feel supported, comfortable, and confident.
If you’re managing bladder or bowel incontinence — from light to heavy needs — our team at HCD will work with you, your doctor, and your insurance plan to deliver a personalized product solution that fits your specific situation.

Call 866-938-3906 or share your information through our online enrollment form to get started.