SEC-S13/W4| "The Role of the Caregiver ♥️ "

^{pixabay source}

I quickly got interested when I saw this topic among the contest topics for the week. Some of us with aged parents would at some point play the role of caregivers no matter how little. Unlike what we see in abroad (in western or developed countries) where there are more old people's homes. In Africa, there is little or no such thing here. We all stay with everyone and take care of them until death comes.

Have you played the role of caregiver or do you know someone who has put it into practice? Tell us about it.

Caregiver roles are unceremoniously practiced in Africa, especially in my country Nigeria. We do not have well-preserved homes called care homes or old people homes as seen in developed countries. We find ourselves in a place where we live to cater to our aged parents. We are natural caregivers without any official training.

I've lived with my parents more since we relocated than any of my siblings and during part of my stay with them, my dad developed some sight issues. This means that it was obvious for me to render some kind of care to him though he was/is still strong enough to fend for himself as he still knows the terrain of his environment.

^{pixabay source}

Giving him care was a seamless thing to me. One, he is my dad and blood and secondly, there was this compassion and empathy associated with the whole situation. You love one changing form due to age and all that. The love was the propeller for me to give him the much-needed care he deserves.

I was helping out with some of the chores that needed to be done by him. These chores have to be simplified to enable him to carry out the remaining bit of it more easily. For instance, his morning food is served to him before I leave for work and since he would also take lunch, that is served in a food flask and kep which he can easily access.

His bathing water in the bathroom is well set and especially well mixed when he's likely going to use hot water. Other domestic chores are greatly improvised and made easier for him for easy use.

^{pixabay source}

Do you think that caring for a sick person should be a team effort or the work of a single person?

It is not subject to any model. It depends on the availability of people around or the gravity of discomfort from the care receivers. In my scenario, it was just a single-person effort during those moments. I was able to manage most of the concerns then though my mom was still helping out in her way.

Teamwork efforts are usually good to help make the task to be done easier and simplified for everyone. This might be done by taking turns or a kind of routine arrangement whereby people come and go. But in any of these cases, we know that the more the merrier.

What qualities do you think a caregiver should have?

A good caregiver should have some of these outstanding qualities to help them carry out their task very well.

The caregiver should be passionate about what he does and be compassionate in the entire carer process. This would enable him to do better.

The caregiver should have Empathy despite the altitude of the patient. He should have some high level of understanding and humor to accommodate all ill feelings

A caregiver should be Patient in all his dealings matter what. He or she does not expect the patient to be responsive as a youth. Following his or her pace should require that patience is a virtue.

A caregiver should be trustworthy and dependable at all times. His words should be his actions. There wouldn't be a need to compromise the process at any time.

A good caregiver should be an accurate timekeeper. Administration of drugs and other physiotherapy measures are time-based. Therefore he should have good time management skills.

There are other qualities required to make this list like being attentive to process, reliable, assertive, etc.

^{pixabay source}

What advice would you give to a person who is performing this role?

They say the reward for good work is more work but I would say that caregivers deserve more from society. They are social workers and those who render services to humanity. Their reward cannot be quantified and hence we should appreciate them with all we can offer them.

Just the way they care for others, they would receive care when they are no longer strong enough to fend for themselves. We attract what we do through our actions. Lastly, I will say that, they should continue to serve humanity and as well create a balance between it and their economic needs so as not to backslide.

Conclusion

The caregiver's role is a service to humanity and a social function that should be enduring to everyone. Though this is a role we must have played at one time or the other, others are professionally engaged in it to help attain humanity. They should be encouraged and supported to better this area of life.

To join me in this contest, I am inviting @bonaventure24, @hisgeneral, and @shabbir86