Caregivers: Modern Heroes
Image Source:domjobs.net
Caring for a person can be a difficult job. There is no monetary reward for being “on call” 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Caring for someone you know or a member of your family is hard enough. Caring for a complete stranger is harder. Caregivers are people who take care of other adults, most often parents or spouses, who are ill or disabled. The people who receive care usually need help with basic daily tasks.
Although caregivers are tired and worn out, they always seem to find energy to help others. Most of the caregivers indicate a need to have a day off occasionally. Most caregivers are very devoted to the person for whom their caring, but indicate that if they do not receive some time to relax and take care of themselves, resentment starts to build. Although the resentment is really towards the illness, it may be expressed through anger towards the person for whom they are caring. Caregivers have also shared feelings of not being understood by the patient.
The caregiver is an extension of the healthcare team. Although the patient is the one who generally receives instructions about how to take care of himself, it is often the caregiver who makes sure the patient follows medication dosages, diet restrictions, the dialysis schedule and countless other tasks. The caregiver experiences stress over the responsibility associated with keeping the patient healthy. It is especially important when patients live with their caregivers that they understand as much about the treatment as possible.
So the next time you see a caregiver, appreciate them better because they do a lot of work than what they are paid for.
Posted on September 29th, 2008 by Peter
Filed under: General Facts