Barbara G. is from California, and was one of forty finalists chosen out of the over 1,000 entries to our “What Advice Would You Give to a Fellow Caregiver?” Contest. You can find our grand prize and runner up winners here.
What advice would you give a fellow caregiver?
I would tell you that you must show up daily for your client. Be present when you are with your client. Be a good listener. Try to understand where they have been. What they have been through. What they want from you and others. If they repeat themselves, you can act like you are hearing it for the first time. Don’t correct them and tell them you heard that from them already. Take care of them like they are the most important thing you have to do. Put yourself in their place. Think about how things affect them. You may be the only person who lets them speak openly and allow them to figure out what’s best for them. They know their bodies and their family. They may not want family to help them. By selecting you, they feel in control. That is very powerful. Be careful with having that responsibility. Keep yourself in good health and happy. Take care of yourself first so you may help others. Take all classes offered.
Learn all you can to help you to be safe. Get CPR and first aid training. You may be able to save a life and be there to help in an emergency when you least expect it. Treat your client with respect and ask them to treat you with respect. Make sure to take the time to discuss everything that is important to you and to them. Make sure you are a good match for each other. If you have to pass on caring for them, know there is someone else out there that needs you. Work the hours you agree to. Follow break and lunch time. Make sure you both understand what you can and will be doing for your client. Keep track of your time and have them do the same. You don’t want to have an issue when it comes to doing your time card. Keep a calendar and have them do the same thing. Plan ahead for time off and days needed to work. Make each day a success for you both. Thank you.
Click here to head to the contest home page and read more advice.
Finalists were selected by the Marketing Team at Shield HealthCare. Those finalists were submitted to a panel of independent judges who picked three grand prize winners and five runners up. The judges included: Sandra Mitchell, Award-winning KCAL 9 news anchor and breast cancer survivor, and the Landers family: actor and comedian David Landers (“Laverne & Shirley”) who is living with MS, his wife Kathy and his daughter Natalie (“The Middle”). Click here to learn more.
