How to find a caregiver for kidney transplant

@littledab, I want to Welcome you to Connect, and to let you know that I'm happy to see that you are already beginning to perpare for your appointment with the transplant center in a couple of months.

I am a transplant recipient, and my husband was retired and able to be my caregiver after my simultaneous liver and kidney transplant. And just this past February, I was asked to fill-in when my disabled neighbor's adult son received a kidney transplant when his caregiver unexpededly quit! So, I have experienced 2 completely different situations. In my case, I needed more help in comparison to my neighbor. He amazed me because was allowed to walk out of the hospital at discharge, and he only needed me to drive him home from the transplant center and then to drive him to/from for his early appointments.

I would like to share the following discussion with you.
- How much caregiver support is needed after a kidney transplant?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/post-kidney-transplant-support/
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@dhrubasen @my44 @maggieinfp @gingerw @katebw - Do you have any suggestions for @littledab about finding a caregiver?

@rosemarya @littledab Let me echo the welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect!

I was primary caregiver to my now-husband when he had his kidney transplant October 2016. His transplant center was 75 miles away from where he lived, and 200 miles from where I was living!

My suggestion is to look to your friends and close acquaintances. They may be familiar with your situation and understand if you do not have family who can help you. And perhaps you can really more than one to help out, so you have a back-up. My husband's daughter was secondary caregiver, and in those first 30 days when he had to stay near the transplant center, she would spell me a couple days a week so I could still work part-time.

You can also ask your transplant team for resources they might be familiar with, to help you on-board a caregiver. In my opinion, having someone you already know would be a great relief. You want someone who can drive you to appointments, help you with basic housekeeping [remember those dust bunnies will not go anywhere LOL], meal prep if you need it. Pet-sitting if you need it. And someone who will play cards/do jigsaw puzzles/sing etc with you to help pass the time. We never know just how much aftercare may be required, but having someone [or two or three] you can rely on is priceless.
Ginger

Hi, @littledab. It's so nice to virtually "meet" you. @rosemarya and @gingerw have already given you some good information. When I had my kidney transplant, I had a family member come from out of town to be my caregiver and I had a member from my church as a backup. Since you don’t have family available that can serve as caregiver for you post transplant, perhaps a friend or neighbor could help out. Or, if you're connected with a religious organization, perhaps some of the members or the clergy could help or give you some suggestions. Otherwise, you could ask your transplant center if you can speak with a social worker on the transplant team. That person may be able to suggest some options or resources for you and/or provide guidance. If you’re unable to speak with them in advance, you could ask them for assistance during your upcoming appointments, as a meeting with a social worker is usually part of that evaluation process. I hope that helps, and I wish you all the best during your transplant journey. Hugs. 💕