July has five Mondays, so I asked Garry to fill in for this “extra” week. Here is his question --

What is something a caregiver should know to do a better job?

I did not choose caregiving as a profession; rather, it came to me by circumstance. When Vicki’s MS had progressed to a point, I became her full-time caregiver. As the disease progresses, I realize how much I do not know about my role.

I’m sure there are many tips to help a caregiver be more effective. Searching the Internet, I personally found the following to be most helpful:

• There is no one way to care for a person; each situation is different.
• Try to make a special effort for nutritious and tasty meals.
• Help with medical, financial and legal issues.
• Be grateful.
• Maintaining a sense of humor helps.  
• The wishes of the person being cared for are very important.

I know there are more. Caregivers, do you have any to add? MSers, what would you like a caregiver to know?

The question again, “What is something a caregiver should know to do a better job?”


Notes and Links:
When I first started as a caregiver, I found my daughter’s  training notes for her nurse’s aide course. I wrote a post, Compassionate Caregiving.