Caregiver Support

Being a Caregiver Is Rewarding and Challenging

Most of us do not plan on being caregivers for a dying person and very few have any formal training for doing so. Nonetheless, this can be one of the most memorable and enriching times of life. It's a chance to return the love and attention of a parent. A time to strengthen bonds with a sibling. A way to protect a vulnerable and fragile spouse. It's a chance to say goodbye in a profound and meaningful way.

Since cure is no longer possible, the goals of caregiving would be to allow the terminally ill person to continue to be themselves for as long as they can and to allow them to finish what they want to accomplish in the time that remains. An equally important goal is to maintain the integrity of the caregiver.

Caring for a dying person can be rich in emotional and spiritual rewards, but these rewards come at the price of a great deal of emotional and physical energy. Sleepless nights, keeping up with medical insurance requirements, negotiating family disagreements, dispensing medications, changing soiled bed sheets and the emotional toll of watching a loved one grow thinner and weaker can be totally draining. It is essential that you, the caregiver, learn how to care for yourself to avoid burnout.