Emotional Support
Emotional support is an empathetic and compassionate type of care that focuses on creating connections and improving emotional well-being.
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In long-term care, emotional support involves caring for someone's emotional needs and well-being. This could mean lending a listening ear or spending time together.
Emotional support can benefit individuals facing chronic illnesses or difficulties associated with aging. It can help these individuals feel better about their situation and improve their quality of life.
Common aspects of emotional support include:
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Listening and understanding. Emotional support is about listening to the care recipient's feelings and thoughts with compassion and empathy.
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Comfort and validation. Emotional supporters can validate the care recipient's feelings. They can give them the reassurance they need of their situation.
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Advice and coping strategies. Part of emotional support involves teaching individuals how to cope with their emotions. This could include helping with life transitions related to long-term care.
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Connection. It's incredibly important for elderly, ill, and disabled individuals to have a solid social circle. Emotional support can give these individuals the necessary connections to improve their well-being.
One important thing to mention is that emotional support isn't just for those who need care. Emotional support is also important and available to caregivers.
Often, caregivers face the brunt of emotions and conditions while maintaining their jobs and other responsibilities, leaving little time for rest. The ability to rest, vent about their experiences, and receive validation for their feelings and thoughts can be essential to a caregiver's well-being.