The birth of a baby can trigger a range of powerful emotions such as excitement, joy, even fears. But it can also result in something you might not expect-postpartum depression. It is a condition which affects the mental health of many young mothers. The symptoms are the following: strong feelings of sadness, anxiety, or irritability, emotional stress which interferes with taking care of self or family,tearfulness,trouble to motivate oneself to do normal, routine chores, compulsive overeating or diminished interest in food, lack of interest in self grooming, inability to sleep when tired or too much sleeping, trouble concentrating or making decisions, forgetfulness, loss of pleasure or interest in doing things which used to be fun, undue worry about the baby, lack of interest in the new baby, fear of harming the new baby, thoughts of self harm or suicide.

The causes of post partum depression could be hormonal changes. Sometimes the hormonal changes in a woman’s body may trigger some symptoms. The amount of the two female hormones estrogen and progesterone increase greatly during pregnancy in a woman’s body. During the first 24 hours after childbirth, these amounts decrease rapidly and keep dropping till it reaches the normal level. Apart from these biological changes, numerous physical, psychological and environmental factors also contribute to postpartum depression such as fatigue, broken sleeping patterns, insufficient rest etc.

There are various breakthroughs in medical sciences dedicated to the mental healthcare of young mothers. The most common treatment for depression is the use of antidepressant medication, psychotherapy or a combination of the two. The treatment depends on the nature and severity of the depression and to some extent on the individual preference. In severe cases medication is generally recommended under the supervision of a psychiatrist.

It is necessary to help young mothers cope with postpartum depression. It is to be borne in mind that everything cannot be done single handedly by the young mother. She should get sufficient rest when the baby sleeps. Friends, relatives or spouse can be solicited to assist in housework, baby care and cooking. The young mother should find time for herself and the spouse. One need not be guilty if the medications make it impossible to breastfeed the baby. A good mother is the one who takes care of herself so that she is able to take care of the baby. When the baby starts to have regular sleep during night, it is time to think about the mother’s diet and exercise program to aid her get back into shape. Exercise and proper diet will improve the mood and give a boost to the self esteem as well. Breastfeeding will help to jump start on shedding the baby weight.

If depression is interfering with one’s ability to take care of the baby, it doesn’t make one a bad mother. Be aware of the fact that it is only a passing phase and can be treated effectively. It is imperative to get professional help and follow the doctor’s instructions if one is suffering from postpartum depression. Finally, the support of spouse and family is vital to assure mental healthcare of young mothers.

Caring for elderly parents is difficult even in the best of times, and eventually you may have to come to the realization that you simply cannot do it on your own. Will you know where to turn when that time comes for you and your family?

Knowing the right questions to ask is vital to finding the right service that will suit your family’s needs. Your first step is assessing the necessary care level required. How much care do your parents need that you are not able to provide yourself? That involves medical, household and personal care too.

Regardless of where you decide to look for an in home caregiver, you should have a list of questions ready to ask them during your interview:

– Are you a certified care giver?

– Do you have professional training?

– Are you legally allowed to work in this country?

– Do you have any diseases or medical conditions that we should be aware of?

– What is your experience level?

– Is there anything about our care giving needs that you are uncomfortable or unfamiliar with?

– What kind of work schedule are you expecting? Do you work weekends and/or holidays?

– Will you sign a contract?

– What are your references?

If you want to avoid the hassles of finding someone on your own, and having to manage the interviewing and background checks, you can work with a caregiver agency that can pair you with an appropriate professional. In that case, you will want to ask the agency the following:

– Are your staff certified?

– How long have you been operating as a staffing agency for care givers?

– Are supplies in included in the pricing for services?

Do You Need a Contract?

Whether you are working with an agency or have found an individual through a personal reference, you should never enter into a working agreement without a contract. It’s for your protection as well as the caregiver’s. Any contract for services should include:
– Your name and the caregiver’s name (and agency)
– Contact information for caregiver, including SSN
– Agreed-upon wages
– Work schedule with hours
– Permitted behavior
– Basic outline of expected duties and services
– Clause for termination
– Signatures of yourself, caregiver and an agency representative (if you use an agency)

Making Your Choice

When you have examined all your options and investigated all potential caregivers, take your time with the final decision. This will effect your elderly parents as well as your entire family, and it should not be a rushed decision. Research is very important to making that right choice.

There is a healthcare crisis going on in the country today. A lot of people are suing healthcare facilities and hospitals because of reasons which sprung from lack of healthcare staff. One nurse services 10 patients at the same time. That is not called health service. That is almost synonymous to negligence.

What is the reason for this shortage?

It is a fact that nurses receive poor compensation plans. They work so hard every day and literally their bodies suffer so much. The shift is tight most days and yet they receive a lowly salary. A lot of nurses leave the profession only after a year of serving because even if they are health care professionals and work for health care facilities, they have the worst health care plan. What is wrong with that?

There are many health care staffing recruitment agencies searching for medical professionals to be offered a job. They need to offer qualified workers a job because the country is slowly losing its touch on efficient health care. Healthcare professionals are required immediately and if you are one and still jobless at this point, you can see what these agencies has in store for you.

There are agencies waiting to give me a job?

Yes, yes and yes! As explained, the country is experiencing shortage of healthcare professionals. The average age of a nurse these days is 45 years old! When they retire, no one is there to fill up the job post. So, with this problem, the healthcare industry is at peril. Hospitals turn to healthcare staffing recruiters and recruiters find health professionals like you.

To dig in more, these recruiters and agencies have the time and the capacity to search for qualified professionals in the medical field. So, for example, you are a medical practitioner, a nurse, and you want a care giving position for the elderly at a private home. You can present yourself with a recruiter. Your chances of getting work the way you want it is almost immediate.

The category includes contractual services, temporary replacements, temporary to permanent transition, day to day or direct hiring. You can check if you like the job or not. If they pay the compensation you want and in the working condition satisfactory for you.

There are agencies waiting to provide my facility a qualified worker?

As for health care facilities needing professionals, your best bet is going to a health care staff recruiter to find the most suitable candidate to fill up the vacant position in your facility. You will not have to worry about incompetent workers or unsatisfactory service. The agencies are very thorough in examining applicants before they give the appropriate jobs for them.

It can be considered a win-win situation. The health care professional has a job while the health care facility earns another warm body to help out. This is the bridging of gaps done by a recruiter.