Caregiver: Somebody’s Hero
A hero is defined by noble qualities, superpowers who are always the main character of a movie or a book. They are always saving the city from the evil, doing good for the citizens, and wear a cape around their neck. In our society doctors, police, firefighters are considered the real heroes because they save hundreds of lives every day. But today we will focus on the people who don’t save lives, or cures the sick or stops fire and rescues people, or chase the evil. They get to be somebody’s hero every day. Who are they? They wear the title of Caregiver proudly.
Heroism involves an act of courage. It takes nothing but courage to wake up every morning and care for a patient with dementia, to remind him of every tiny detail over and over again, to watch him slowly slip away, one memory at a time. It takes courage to care for a person in a wheelchair. When you care for a disabled person, you are not just assisting them in their lives, but also helping them become independent and more confident in their own abilities.
Caregivers work tirelessly to provide love and warmth for the people they don’t even know. They take care of the elderly in your family, the person with a disability, and your children. They work with little to no praise or thanks.
Duties and responsibilities of a caregiver
A caregiver has to take on several roles depending on the severity of the person's condition.
- Health Monitoring- If the patient is suffering from any severe health issue, you have to learn to monitor it. You have to follow the care plan, notice, and report any differences.
- Assisting in daily activities- As a caregiver you have to assist the person in performing daily tasks. Your responsibilities also extend from helping him take a bath to taking him grocery shopping or taking a walk in the park.
- General Health Care- You should be able to remind your patient of taking the medicines on time, take him for regular doctor visits, and care for his overall health.
- Home organization- Keeping things organized is another responsibility you have as a caregiver.
- Basic meal preparation- You should have basic knowledge of cooking since you might be required to cook meals at times.
- Personal supervision- Lastly the most important of all is caregivers are hired to provide companionship to elderly persons, or children. So a caregiver should be someone who enjoys people's company.
Caregiving can be rewarding but stressful
Caregivers are people who enjoy providing attention, love to the people who need it. Knowing a person is living a happy and healthy life because of you can be rewarding. Imagine supporting a person with physical disability, you help them through their physiotherapy sessions, help them get around, and after months or after years you see them walking out of the wheelchair on their own. You believe in yourself, your abilities to help, you work for gratifying moments like this.
As rewarding a caregiver's job can be, it can be stressful as well. Caregivers don't have magic wands that will cure a person completely. The role of a caregiver is very demanding. It takes a toll on their personal relationships with family and friends. No matter how much love is between a caregiver and a patient, sometimes it gets overwhelming. Burdened with responsibilities, many caregivers forget to care for themselves.
Tips for new caregivers
- Ask for help and accept it- It is okay to feel down and ask for help. Someone always caring for other also deserves some care and attention. Join support groups for caregivers. A support group can provide encouragement and solutions to your difficult situations.
- Research well- Before you start caring for a patient, know all about his condition. Learn about his medical history, his ongoing treatment. This will help you prepare for what to expect.
- Get the family involved- Before you join a family as a caregiver, have a talk with all the family members together. Learn about their expectations from you, tell them about what you will be able to provide. Know your patient's illness well, communicate so you know what the patient is looking for in a caregiver. Not many people like it when caregivers take on in every aspect of their lives. Give them space.
- Set personal goals- You should be able to look after yourself well. Set health goals for yourself. Make an effort to stay connected with your friends. Set some time every week to do things you enjoy. Give yourself time.
At UTrust Care, one of the best caregivers’ platforms in Canada, we understand the true value of a caregiver. Our caregivers are compassionate, understanding, and share unconditional love with the patients they care for. Our services include providing caregivers for child care, physical disability support, senior care, people with Dementia, and PSW-Home Support Worker. Book an appointment with us to get a firsthand experience of our services. Visit our website utrustcare.ca to know more about us.