by Cameron Smith
Each November, we celebrate National Caregivers Month by recognizing those people in our lives who put others’ needs ahead of their own. Caregivers provide security, medical assistance, love, and more for their patients. Whether the caregiver you know is a coworker taking care of her disabled child, a nurse that takes care of your mother, or your own personal caregiver, take the time this month to properly thank them.
According to caregiver.org, on average, family caregivers spend 24.4 hours per week caring for their loved one and 1 in 4 spend at least 41 hours each week. That’s more time than a full-time job! Caregivers often continue working like this for years. This important work can, unfortunately, be exhausting and thankless. Show the caregiver in your life how thankful you are for them by thanking them with one or two of the following ideas.
Help Them Out For A Day
The list of errands and chores for caregivers seems endless at times. If you have time, take a day to assist the caregiver with their daily tasks. Offer to go out and run errands for them or take care of the home and patient so they can get out for a bit. Perhaps there’s that one chore they just can’t stand that you can take care of for them. If your availability works and you’re willing, it would be especially helpful to complete a weekly task for them to take one more thing off their to-do list. For example, if it’s a neighbor you could offer to mow the lawn for them each week.
Share Resources With Them
Sometimes the most helpful way to assist someone is by providing them with information and resources. There are tons of helpful sites online for caregivers, so sharing some with a caregiver could be a huge support for them. Online, they can communicate with a community of others just like them, find information specific to their type of caregiving relationship, and get advice from others in their situation. Forums, social media, and informative sites are a few types of online communities that caregivers might be interested in. Here are a few examples to check out and share:
Forums: AgingCare, Caregiver Action Network, The Caregiver Space
Social Media: Caregiver Action Network on Twitter, SimpliSafe on Twitter, CareGivers America on Instagram
Informative Sites: CareGiving.com, Daily Caring, Caregiving Cafe
Treat Them To A Special Day Off
Caregivers often feel as if they have no time to relax. If they’re able to take a day off, make sure they’ll be relaxing by giving them a gift certificate. Some spa time, that new movie they’ve been wanting to see, or a nice dinner are sure ways to get their mind off of caregiving. Since caregivers spend most of their time worrying about the wellbeing of others, it is so important for them to take time to care for themselves as well.
Write A Thank You Letter
One of the best ways to thank someone is by writing a heartfelt letter. Let the caregiver in your life know how much you appreciate their work by writing it down for them to look at whenever they’re feeling down. Ask others who know the caregiver to participate by writing their own letters or contributing to yours. Caregivers touch the lives of many and deserve to be told how much they mean to others.
Author: Cameron Smith, SimpliSafe
