It's That Time of Year Again
Every year about this time many people grow sentimental about the holidays. The holidays make it especially tough on caregivers because of the often long hours and time away from family. Most in the caregiver industry realize that caregiver duty falls upon the “women of the family.” In fact over 70% of caregivers are woman, many of which are senior citizens themselves. Here at the ACA we want all caregivers to know that we support what you do everyday. It’s a tough job, but an important one.
This said, remember that the residents that you care for want to be with their families just as much as you do during the holidays but often times this is not possible, or simply doesn’t happen for a variety of reasons. In many cases the caregiver is the only family a resident has. As a result, residents look to caregivers to fulfill the role of “family member.” A resident may not verbalize this, but rest assured they look to their caregivers this way, especially during the tougher times of the year such as the holiday season.
Finally, as caregivers keep this in mind and try to genuinely place yourself in the position of your residents to reflect on their life as you do your own. Talk to them, hug them and show them that you are their for them, not just during the holidays, but always.
Have a great holiday season caregivers!