by Lynnette A. White-Frenchwood
What and who is a "caregiver," you may ask. A caregiver is anyone who provides any type of physical and/or emotional care for another person who cannot provide for themselves. Whether you are caring for a spouse, sibling, child, parent or friend, caregiving is not an easy task. Any condition which requires and necessitates care by another may eventually need the helping hands of a caregiver.
The caregiver's role is to provide the highest quality professional in-house care for all clients. Each and every person receiving care should be respected for their personal and cultural backgrounds and are treated with total respect, dignity, fairness and honesty at all times. Many caregivers are professional, qualified, experienced and caring people.
Regardless of how you became a caregiver, you are about to take on a new role for which you may not feel prepared. It is normal for you to feel nervous or overwhelmed about what is expected of you in your new role as caregiver.
You may experience a number of mixed emotions, including anxiety, anger, sadness, joy, hope, despair and most of all a very rewarding and satisfying feeling at times because know that you are helping someone else. At the same time, you will probably feel the desire to care for those in your charge the best way you can.
Keep in mind that caregivers are an incredible breed.
At a time when hospitals are releasing patients earlier, the elderly are living longer and people are living with many chronic illnesses, more family members and friends are caring for loved ones at home. Statistics show that those remaining in their own homes extend their lives because of all the comfort, confidence and familiarity this affords them.
Often people find themselves having to perform new and unfamiliar tasks when the role of cargiver comes into play. The caregiver's role may include personal care, emotional support, giving and performing medical and nursing procedures, assisting with medicines and meals and supervi-sing in-home help or other caregivers.
Helping others to get through a chronic or acute illness requires under-standing, encouragement, patience and energy, and caring for someone with a life-threatening disease can be emotionally and physically draining. While caregivers give care to others they must also remember to take care of themselves to avoid burnout and stress.
My philosophy, one I have developed since I have been a caregiver, is that everyone, regardless to the severity of their illness, is deserving of the highest quality care that can be performed by all caregivers and that each patient or client's spiritual, emotional, social, physical and psycho-logical needs are fulfilled to the highest degree possible -- that each patient or client's dignity is respected at all times.
Lastly, because a caregiver comes into the home to help the family through this new transition, the family members should keep in mind that they are not relieved of their responsibilities. They should continue to express love, be concerned for and show kindness to their loved one.
As you go about your duties as caregiver, I would like to encourage you to always believe in your heart that you matter to those that you are caring for, whether they verbalize it or not, and remember the Beatitudes for Friends of the Aged.
DISCLAIMER:
MATTESON ELDER CARE SERVICES is not affiliated in anyway with the newspaper or the author. This article was selected solely for its informative content and retyped [from SAN FRANCISCO BAYVIEW, February 15, 2006, pp. 5 & 8] with the permission of the author.
Copyright 2006. MATTESON ELDER CARE SERVICES. All rights reserved.
