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Gifts for Caregivers

Posted by Becky, Volunteer Mentor @becsbuddy, Nov 19, 2019

I found this great list in Spry Living magazine which came in my newspaper. Some great suggestions!
1. Time Off. Give someone a day off or a weekend off.
2. Monetary Support: “ a friend gave us a monthly parking pass at the hospital. It made things so much easier”
3. Quality Time: Take a treat and just sit and visit
4. Meals: “when my daughter was struggling with cancer, her friends took turns bringing us prepared dishes, and it was a godsend.”
5. Child or pet care: Add your friend’s dog to your daily walk schedule! They are often forgotten
I recently read where one lady made a quilt from her friend’s daughter’s clothes. It made a great, warm, comfort quilt for her friend! Now, we can’t all make quilts, that’s for sure! What ideas do you have? Something you’ve done or has been done for you?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Caregivers Support Group.

Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Dec 2, 2019
In reply to @gingerw "@jakedduck1 Leonard, caregivers become part of the family, don't they? That is good that Mary had..." + (show)
@gingerw

@jakedduck1 Leonard, caregivers become part of the family, don't they? That is good that Mary had such a nice reception there at your house! I am sure she was just as devastated as you last week.
Ginger

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@ginger
Yes she was. Mary is the sister I never had. There is something special about her. We will remain good friends.
Because of the unpredictability of seizures and being alone, I’m not going to use the stove or oven unless someone is here and to be perfectly honest, probably not even then. Not that I ever used it much.
Jake

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1 reply
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Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Dec 2, 2019
In reply to @jakedduck1 "@ginger Yes she was. Mary is the sister I never had. There is something special about..." + (show)
@jakedduck1

@ginger
Yes she was. Mary is the sister I never had. There is something special about her. We will remain good friends.
Because of the unpredictability of seizures and being alone, I’m not going to use the stove or oven unless someone is here and to be perfectly honest, probably not even then. Not that I ever used it much.
Jake

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@jakedduck1 You have been through so much this past week, but we’re all thinking about you and wishing you the best.

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georgette12 | @georgette12 | Dec 3, 2019

Thank you for the kind words for caregivers. My husband is disabled and can't work but he doesn't need my physical support, although he needs heaps of emotional support. My problem is that as a caregiver, my clients usually have mental issues along with physical. So when I come home I have very little left to provide emotional support at the end of the day. I just told my husband the truth, what I just said. He now sees a counselor to help him help himself emotionally. Sigh...

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JK | @contentandwell | Dec 3, 2019
In reply to @georgette12 "Thank you for the kind words for caregivers. My husband is disabled and can't work but..." + (show)
@georgette12

Thank you for the kind words for caregivers. My husband is disabled and can't work but he doesn't need my physical support, although he needs heaps of emotional support. My problem is that as a caregiver, my clients usually have mental issues along with physical. So when I come home I have very little left to provide emotional support at the end of the day. I just told my husband the truth, what I just said. He now sees a counselor to help him help himself emotionally. Sigh...

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@georgette12 you must be mentally and emotionally exhausted by the end of your day. I’m sure it is difficult for you to not be able to provide the emotional support your husband needs. That’s great that he is seeing a counselor, I hope that will give him the help he needs. It sounds as if he understands your position, and I suspect that on weekends you are able to support him more than you can during your work week. You can only do so much, and you have to take care of yourself too. If you don’t you can’t help anyone.
JK

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Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Dec 4, 2019
In reply to @georgette12 "Thank you for the kind words for caregivers. My husband is disabled and can't work but..." + (show)
@georgette12

Thank you for the kind words for caregivers. My husband is disabled and can't work but he doesn't need my physical support, although he needs heaps of emotional support. My problem is that as a caregiver, my clients usually have mental issues along with physical. So when I come home I have very little left to provide emotional support at the end of the day. I just told my husband the truth, what I just said. He now sees a counselor to help him help himself emotionally. Sigh...

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I’m glad you told your husband the truth @georgette12 . He may have known, deep down, that he was adding to your burden. Have you thought about going to the counselor together? Just sometimes. When I first got sick, my husband would occasionally go with me, partly to support me and to reinforce what the counselor said, but also to learn what he could do to help. Does this sound like something you might do?

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georgette12 | @georgette12 | Dec 4, 2019

Thank you for the input on maybe seeing a counselor with my husband re caregiving and emotional support. He saw his own counselor today who encouraged him to invite me to a session if I'd like to go. I said I'd go anytime.

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