Tonya W. is from Texas, 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?
The best advice that I can give a fellow caregiver is to first and foremost understand that your client needs your attention and patience. I have learned that things will not always go well on any given day, but it would be in the best interest of the client and caregiver to be very consistent. If your client is used to eating breakfast at a certain time, be sure to stay as close to that time as possible. Some clients would just like someone to talk with them or someone that they can feel connected with. It is very important to know that moods will change and, as they do, it is expected of you to be compassionate of that change.
I’m reminded of Ms. Daly, and a very difficult day she had. She did not want to eat, she did not want to let go of her towel, and she did not want to take her meds. I remembered that her son told me that she loved to dance in her younger years. I turned on some music and started dancing in front of her right then and there. I wish you could have seen the look on her face. She put her towel down and started to pat her thigh. I continued to dance. She started to move her shoulders. Before long she and I were dancing up a storm. Not only did she take her meds but she ate all of her food. I guess she’d worked up an appetite after dancing in her chair for a little while. I believe that clients can sense when you genuinely care for them. I believe that Ms. Daly knew that I did care for her and love her.
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.
