This is a presentation given to the Houston Blue Bird Circle by Susan Davis, INS Administrator, in January 2013.
After 16 years in health care marketing and staffing, I started a licensed home health care agency in 1994 to help individuals needing care and assistance with activities of daily living in their homes. Since then I have had the privilege of meeting and working with hundreds of aging clients and their families and learned a couple of things about caregiving along the way…..
We are all Caregivers.
It is a role we assume as siblings, as parents and later as daughters and sons.
Being a caregiver can be boring…scary…exhausting…exhilarating…thankless…and a blessing.
Like life, it is all about balance. But it is never easy.
Balance – it all comes down to having balanced lives as we look after others, while looking after ourselves. If we don’t look after ourselves, we are no good to others.
In almost 20 years of being a caregiver and working with professional caregivers at Innovative Nurses & Sitters, we have learned a lot about balancing lives. We help our clients and their families to do just that.
Here is my TOP 10 List of Tips For Family Caregivers:
#10 Keep a sense of humor. Laughter will always be the best medicine.
#9 Be selfish – yes, that’s what I said. Take “me” time often. No one likes a martyr.
#8 Be present. Leave your problems and concerns at the door and focus on the person.
#7 Learn to be a world class listener. Picture yourself a big walking ear, if necessary.
#6 Speak little, do a lot.
#5 Contribute your time, talent OR treasure. You can’t do it all.
#4 (which leads to ) Accept help from friends, neighbors, church members and professionals.
#3 Keep a firm faith. Give thanks and worship on a regular basis.
#2 Be a part of a caregiver network, such as Alzheimer’s organization or Parkinson’s or Diabetes. You are not alone.
#1 Things change. Do what you can and do it well today. Tomorrow will be a new set of challenges. But today you can make someone’s life better.
I will finish with a paraphrase from The Message: “You are blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.”