Peachtacular Home Health Care, a provider of Home Health Care in Vancouver, BC, understands that many families are thrust into situations where they need to become caregivers every single day.
We all become family caregivers at a different point in our lives, and sometimes, more than once. I was twenty-two years old when I was first introduced to the world of caregiving. I’d heard about it, of course, and am ashamed to admit that, back then, I paid it little importance. Oh, how that experience changed me in more ways than one.
My grandfather was frail and experiencing a slew of health challenges that he needed 24-hour care and assistance. It was all so sudden that it caught us off-guard. Our family couldn’t afford a professional caregiver back then so each member had to take turns filling the role.
Here are some of the most important lessons I learned from my time caring for my granddad:
- Not everyone is cut out to be a caregiver, don’t consider it a misfortune that you happen to be one of the few who are
Some family members just don’t have it in them to provide compassionate care. Hands-on caregiving will usually revolve around the most naturally caring people in the family – that meant me and my aunt. This was a specially difficult predicament to navigate in my case. I was in my last year of college and had a ton of deadlines to catch up on. However, having no one other than one other person to rely on, I learned how to manage my time better and to understand what our seniors are going through during the remainder of their days on this earth. It’s eye-opening and made me realize that I shouldn’t be complaining about my situation but embracing it instead. You develop a deeper connection and understanding about someone you thought you already knew and become a better person in the process.
- You need to give yourself a break. Non-stop caregiving is the surest way to an early grave
Being a fiercely independent person, I was used to handling things on my own, never asking for help unless absolutely necessary. Being my grandfather’s caregiver for a year and a half taught me to accept the help my family was willing to offer. It taught me the importance of putting myself first because that meant being able to better care for the people I love.
Senior Home Care in Vancouver is ready to step in and help with your caregiving issues. Get in touch with Peachtacular Home Health Care today.
Care to share some of your caregiving experiences? Please feel free to comment them on the section below.
#CaregivingExperience #CompassionateCare #ProfessionalAssistance
