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

Edited with canva image source

---

---

INTRODUCTION

Our world is full of disease and unforseen circumstances,as such we need someone who will stand by our side and support, care and show us genuine love both in words and deeds.

I have different experience of being a caregiver. With my own experience, a caregiver is person or someone who care for an ill individual at all times be it day or night.
Currently some people take caregiver as their carrier where by they are paid to do so. But mine was just voluntary service, tending for my family members and friends.

---

---

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

My answer to this question yes before and yes now.🤣
After my secondary School days, l was in the house preparing for Jamb classes,my grandmother was an hypertension, which was manage for some years. One of my anutys called my mother, telling that grandma fell down from her chair, we were so shock and dump founded. Suddenly she was rushed to hospital and when getting there, doctor realize that her hypertension resulted in stroke,,, hmmmm,, it was really sad to hear! The left hand and the leg became paralised. At that time, everyone at home was engaged at work, businesses, their schools and all of that exception of me,, hmmm,, it wasn't really easy anyway but I was like asking my self.."who will fill the need now".

Taking care of someone that has stroke is not easy at all, we all know what I'm talking about, carrying her every time from bed to any where, sleeping with her at night, cook for her, bath her,feed her,and giving her medication.

Illness is the most worst moment for some people especially when it lead individual to be bedridden like my grandmother, she use to feel so bad in different weeks, scream bitterly sayings, "who can take my problems away,, l want to be a woman l used to be. Grandma used to cry profusely every day and always felt fade up in life.

They work was too loathsome and streessfull for me because even lf she called you 100times in a day, you must answer and immediately attend to her. "Carry me.. carrying me" as she used to say and even when you are very tired, you must carry her either to urinate or poo poo, l was the only one running everything, at times, I almost fade up and even forgot to eat because of taking care of my sick grandma 🤣🤣. lt wasn't easy something but the love l have for her covered the whole stress. l took care of her to the very best of mine. When my siblings and other family members will help me will only be by weekends, only my mum will visits us nearly every day but after returning from market at dark and she will be tired too, as such, l will take care of both.

After two years,l got admission and handed her over to my nephew,she felt so bad and cried bitterly, telling me to stay around for sometimes with her ( my nephew) and show her how l cares and manage grandma's hill condition and teach her those songs l used to sing for her for her to sleep and after she wakes, how to set alarm for medication and lot more, which l did before I left. Visiting her every weekend was my priority,lt was so painiful to miss her for once 😭😭because we were so fun of each other, she became part of me and vice versa.

Currently, l am also caring for my father inlaw, who undergo herniorrhaphgy surgery operation some months ago and my adorable daughter.
He is very sounds and healthy as we speak.My hubby support me greatly making the work load lighter and endurable.

My father in-law and l

---

---

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

Caring for a sick person all alone is a simple task.I am a lover of team work, with a team, faster results is achieved. Team work make life enjoyable and relaxing at times.

Taking care of a sick person should not be something of one person because if you are not careful the stress alone can affect our mental health resulting in our early grave.

From my experience above you can see that our family was highly supportive, ln the case of my grandmother, l said earlier,that most of my siblings and family members visits every weekend at which time they support greatly. Now my husband is a great supporter to us.

---

---

What qualities do you think a caregiver should have?

I choose patience frist, Empathy second, Tolerance thrid and lastly communication skills.

Patience: if you are not patience enough with your patient in words and deeds you both will lose the relationship forever. So many Sick people has hurt temper because they don't bargain to sleep on a sick bed. As such we try to calm them down helping them to see that we love and care for them instead of hurting them with angry words in return.

Empathy: is our ability to understand a sick persons thought, feeling, emotional state, there by putting your self in the person's shoe. There is a particular statement that always help me to care for my grandmother, "lf l was on a sick bed how will she cares for me"
With this in mind always, it help to remember our good deed toward us, and trying my very best to do all l can to help her forget her sorrow and pain.

Tolerance: it is one of best quality of a caregiver, because all that comes out from your patients body as waste, you must endure it, just for a better results.

Communication skill: A caregiver should mine his or her words even her tone because the way we talk can affect them either negative or otherwise.
It is good to use kind or persuading words instead of hash and hurtful.

---

---

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

Myself and my daughter

I Will love to advice such individual to equipped himself or herself with love which is good qualities of perfect caregiver.

A caregiver should take care of her mental health not reacting the way she feels, using harsh words should be highly prohibited instead kind and considerable words is preferable.

Our eyes looks and tone matter to our patients as such we should not look down on them.

Our world is not bed of roses, some can turn around, as such you may need another person to play a role of a caregiver for you, so always be kind with other.

Playing the role of caregiver may give you many things to think of as such we might forget important thing like their medication,so l will advice on alarm setting for proper medication timing and food, just to be alert.

Finally,be proud of what you do,be alert,be cheerful,celebrate and congratulate your client on every good step and improvement.If all is properly done the greater rewards will await you and your generation.

I have comes to the end of my presentations and l Will invite @crisvera, @patjewell, @majerius and @saxopedia to Share their opinions about the topic.