What I Learned From Being a Caregiver

Ever wonder what exactly a caregiver is? I did and now have a little information to share with anyone considering these duties for a loved one or for an agency. First thing to remember is the elderly and sick are still people; they have feelings and believe it or not goals. As a caregiver your job is to assist them in reaching their goals. I remember my first client; I asked him what do want to get out our time together? He said. "I would really like to be able to walk with a walker from the living room to the bathroom and bedroom without help."

This is coming from someone who had a painful and debilitating spinal injury. You see he had not walked for about 2 years before I met him. After many walks with the wheelchair to and from the garden at the living center I had a lot of time to think of how we could do this together. He was strong enough to transfer from one chair or bed to another but required only help balancing. I spoke with my boss and came up with a plan to use a belt. After about 3 months of holding most of his weight while walking, he gradually became more and more balanced. I was always prepared to catch him and had several soft chairs nearby if he needed rest before the final finishing point for the day. Just to see his expressions as he improved was worth it all.

At the end of my duties at the agency, I came in one day to check on him and he asked me for a glass of water. I noticed he was in his wheel chair. When I turned around to bring the water, he had transferred himself to the arm chair without assistance. And with a smile he told me thank you. This is just one client, as a caregiver you could have several. I always tried to find that goal with each one so everyday was a challenge. You must also respect the wishes of the client's family. This means if you have a hospice situation where the client is made to be comfortable by outside medical staff, these are the wishes of the family not yours. Do your best to be helpful but do not give opinions to family about the situation. Be supportive but not intrusive. You must know when to give privacy to the family. This is just something you learn as you grow in experience.