Caregivers Need Attention, Too

Many times caregivers are overlooked as everyone is focused on the loved one who is ill or injured. However, if the caregiver is not cared for by the community, friends, church and/or family, the whole system breaks down. If the caregiver becomes depressed or ill, there is usually no one there to care for them or to care for the ill or injured original loved one.
Caregivers need physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual support on a regular basis to maintain their overall health and well-being. There are a myriad of ways to support a caregiver, some of which I will list here.

A simple phone call on a regular basis – daily or weekly- to see how they are doing and how the patient is doing can alleviate the feeling that they are truly all alone in this situation.
Arrange for meals to be made and delivered to the caregiver on a daily basis. This is one of the best ways to support someone in need, as they usually don’t have the time or energy to properly cook for or shop for food items. Family and friends, church groups, civic groups, Scout troops earning badges are helpful in this endeavor. Be sure to make all aware of any food allergies or dislikes, as well as their favorite foods. Bring items in small (1-2 serving size) freezable and/or microwavable containers so the food does not spoil before it is gone.
Arrange for their errands to be run and house to be cleaned. Be sure they are maintaining any schedules of medicine for themselves. Many times caregivers take care of others better than they do themselves, like the saying goes, “the shoemaker’s kids have no shoes.”
So many caregivers would benefit from counseling to de-brief, vent, and gain helpful information but rarely take the time during the crisis or afterward. Encourage them to do so. Find recommendations for good counselors on their behalf and give them the list of physicians and their phone numbers.

If they are not sleeping well, ask them to call their doctor’s nurse and request a sleeping aide prescription be called in to their local pharmacy. Years ago a study was performed in which mice were given everything they needed to survive – food, water, etc. The only thing they were not allowed was 4th-stage REM sleep. REM sleep is the deep sleep during which we dream. The mice became paranoid, among exhibiting other psychological disorders, and died. GOOD sleep is very important.

Healed! Strength for Caregivers, Cancer Fighters, and Other Serious Illness Fighters: A Crash Course in What to do Spiritually and Practically, addresses the needs of both caregivers and patients. I encourage you to purchase this book for yourself or for a friend in need today at http://www.caregiverstrength.com/, or order from any Barnes and Noble Bookstore location. Now also available at the Victory Christian Center bookstore in Tulsa, Ok (918-491-7700).