6 Ideas To Show Your Caregiver That You Care, Too
Being a caregiver is a demanding job. A caregiver must remain on call to assist their patients at any time. It’s natural for people who work in home health care to focus more on their patients than themselves. It’s easy for them to forget to take care of themselves as well as they care for their clients.
Some caregivers tend to have difficulty just accepting help from others. Even when people willingly offer help, assisted home care workers have a natural tendency to smile and politely decline. You can show a caregiver just how much you care about them by using a little planning and persistence. Here’s a list of a few simple things you can do to show a home health care provider you care, too.
1. Share Something From Your Heart
Do you enjoy baking or cooking? If so, consider preparing a delicious meal or dessert for your favorite caregiver. If you enjoy knitting, woodworking, leather craft, sewing , or other craft works, why not make a keepsake to express your gratitude for a job well done? A handmade gift is always a perfect gesture of appreciation.
For home health care givers with children, setting up a play date with friends, time out at the park, or another activity their kids can enjoy is a great idea.
2. Buy a Gift Certificate
Purchasing a gift certificate for a manicure, movie, or another outing is a great way to help your home health care provider feel great about themselves. For caregivers who don’t accept help often, this is a great way to give them “an offer they can’t refuse.” If you don’t know a service that they would enjoy, consider purchasing a gift certificate to a grocery or other store that they frequent.
4. Help Around the House of Your Home Health Care Provider
People working in home health care are dedicated professionals. They often spend so much time caring for others that they don’t leave enough time to take care of chores around their own house. One great idea to show your appreciation would be to help clean or fix things in their home. If it is a holiday, help set up holiday decorations around their home. This is a great way to help a caregiver feel less stressed overall. It also gives your caregiver something fabulous to come home to.
5. Send a Greeting Or Thank You Card
A simple Thank You card will go a long way toward showing a caregiver you appreciate them. It’s the sentiment that counts, so the card can be store bought or handmade. Try adding a special message inside the card. It will go a long way to adding a personal touch to your message to your home health care provider.
6. Share Some Time Together
Most home health care providers don’t have the time to go out and enjoy a little quality time outside of their busy schedule. Take some time to do something, like sharing a cup of coffee, a meal at a restaurant, or whatever else they may like. It will do wonders to show them you care.
It’s the Little Things That Count
You should never doubt the importance of kind words and gestures to those who help take care of your loved ones. Even a one-time offer of help to your home health care provider means a lot, even if they don’t accept your offer.
Remember, just one kind gesture can brighten a person’s whole day. The AARP recently featured a tribute to people who offered kind gestures to caregivers. However you choose to show your respect and affection, you can be sure they’ll appreciate getting back a little of the love and attention they shower on their clients, day in and day out.
