10 Ways to Care for Your Caregiver

By |Published On: June 18, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|

Joni and KenCaregivers are often the silent soldiers when it comes to taking care of the daily needs of someone with an illness or disability. Whether they are relatives, friends, or professionals, it’s always a good idea to show them how much they are appreciated. Here are 10 ways you can do that today:

  1. Learn about your caregiver’s needs: Remember their birthday, give them gifts that have to do with their hobbies, organize a “Caregiving Appreciation Dinner.”
  2. Demonstrate genuine interest in your caregiver’s family: Ask about their spouse, children, and parents. Remember that they have other important people in their lives they take care of, too.
  3. Be very specific when describing exactly what you expect: Talk with your caregiver about exactly what types of duties they will be doing, how long you need their help, etc. Be mindful not to use a bossy demanding tone when talking to them.
  4. Consider having more than one caregiver: This will prevent burnout for your caregiver, especially spouse caregivers. This also provides a backup person in case your primary caregiver isn’t available.
  5. Be patient when training a new caregiver: Even if the caregiver is familiar with your condition or illness, they don’t necessarily know how to do everything exactly the way you need it done. Consider working with your previous caregiver to create and provide training materials.
  6. Be a grateful person: Even paid caregivers want to feel valued – we all do! Don’t use empty flattery or sweet-talk; be genuine and specific when pointing out the wonderful things they do.
  7. Be flexible: Your caregiver is not going to do things exactly how your family member does them, or exactly how you want them to be done. Try to be gracious and flexible with people.
  8. Keep a sense of humor: Things will certainly go wrong, so don’t let these incidents get you down! A little humor can really diffuse an embarrassing or frustrating moment.
  9. Do what you can: Anything you can do to make your caregiver’s job easier is a great idea. For example, keep your medical records and doctor’s phone numbers organized and in one place.
  10. Take time to enjoy the friendship: Don’t see your caregiver as someone who is just there to care for your needs; remember, your caregiver is a person. Consider this an opportunity for friendship, and cherish this new friendship.

Tell us how you share love to your caregivers, or how the person you care for shows love to you in the comments section below!

Learning to work with caregivers (especially new caregivers) can be challenging, but there are always ways to make the transition as smooth as possible. Go share the love of Christ with your caregivers today!

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