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What is caregiving and how do you define a family caregiver?
What is the common thread that ties together those of us who
care for spouses, children, parents, siblings, partners or
friends who are chronically ill, frail, or disabled?
It certainly isn¹t the tasks of caregiving. They vary
so much, from helping a developmentally delayed child learn
new skills, to taking an aging parent to frequent doctors
appointments, or suctioning a spinal chord injured spouse
virtually every hour every day.
It surely isn't the number of years involved. Caregiving
can last a few short months. It can last three to five years.
At times, caregiving is a lifetime commitment.
Location varies from situation to situation. Although most
caregiving goes on in the home, and most caregivers and recipients
live under the same roof, talk to anyone whose parent is in
a nursing home and you¹ll quickly learn that caregiving
doesn¹t end when someone else is responsible for day
to day care, or when caregivng takes place long distance.
The common bond of caregiving is the stress we feel because
we don¹t have enough leisure or personal time, and the
common bond of caregiving is unfortunately often the severe
depression that so many of us suffer.
What is caregiving? How do you define a family caregiver?
I think I have the answer now you define family caregivers
by their emotions and their spirit, by the sadness in their
eyes, but also by the determination in their hearts. Caregivers
are very special people.
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