The Life Changing Experience of Caregiving
My interpretation of caregiving and the extensive role a caregiver plays transformed while reading Emily Abel’s novel, Hearts of Wisdom. When interviewing my grandmother, Marjorie Waguespack, her personal experiences reinforced many of the vital factors Abel believes are involved in caregiving. Caregiving includes major rewarding aspects from varying standpoints. Emily Abel wholeheartedly believes, “the three major components of care—instrumental, spiritual, and emotional—sometimes conferred significant rewards” (60). Caring for an individual can be difficult and may require substantial sacrifice, but oftentimes the benefits outweigh the costs. With these components, an extensive network of people is required to acquire knowledge and provide support. The relationships that form play an indispensable role in taking care of an individual. Caregiving has the power to change lives.
While listening to numerous stories during the interview with my grandmother, many key factors were repeated. For example, the bond between the caregiver and person being cared for was not always a close connection. Mrs. Waguespack’s caregivers were oftentimes her mother or a neighbor who was a registered nurse; if situations became critical, doctors were readily available. The doctor to patient relationship was different between that of a caregiver or lay healer. Mrs. Waguespack always dealt with the doctor in a formal manner. The respect level was consistent in both relationships, but the communication with the doctor was executed in a more formal manner. Even though the relationships were unique, there was a strong trust factor involved in both types of associations because the caregiver holds the reins of th...
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...medies are invented, but fundamental aspects of caregiving as a whole remains the same.
Caregiving is an unparalleled experience. The elements involved in caregiving are endless. The experiences, time period, and stories may change but the spiritual, emotional, and instrumental factors are always present. If you analyze all of these parts, one’s view of caregiving will transform. All of the little pieces involved give you a significantly greater appreciation for the role. The relationships involved are unlike any other. Everyone should have the opportunity to be a caregiver because the experience can change one’s life.
Works Cited
Abel, Emily K. Hearts Of Wisdom : American Women Caring For Kin, 1850-1940. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 2000. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 26 Feb. 2014.
Waguespack, Marjorie. Telephone Interview. 22 Feb. 2014.
Care in of the patient in context of family stems from a theory developed by Von Bertalanffy which asserts the relationships between family members are so intertwined that changes in one member can affect other family members (Potts & Mandleco, 2012, p. 62.). The theory further establishes the needs
Roberto, K. A., & Jarrott, S. E. (2008, January). Family Caregivers of Older Adults: A Life Span Perspective. Family Relations , 100-111.
(Davidson, F. G.) Due to the nature of dementia being a neuropsychological disorder, those affected by the disease tend to look like they will not require much care, which, in reality, they often require more care than the caregiver originally expected, leading to stress and burnout. Another effect caused by this can be the caregiver blaming themselves by feeling like they are failing to give proper care, which, in reality, can often be very far from the truth. If the caregiver does not receive help from anyone else, the task of watching over the victim becomes a daunting twenty for hour task. Sometimes, the caregiver won’t be allowed quality sleep. Over 66 percent of home caregivers suffer from some form of psychological or physical illness. The most common illness that is resulted from giving care to Alzheimer’s disease is depression. The caregiver needs to monitor their emotional well-being as well as the well-being as the person that they are giving care to. Usually, giving care to those with dementia is actually more stressful than giving care to those with cancer. When the caregiver is a family member and not a professional, the emotional toll is often even greater. It is important for caregivers to remember that they need to take care of themselves first and
Although equipped with years of schooling, countless clinical experiences, and modern technology, healthcare professionals would accomplish very little without if they do not establish trusting relationships. When a health care provider establishes a trusting with a patient, they are more likely to commit to treatment plans or follow advice. A trusting relationship must also be established between doctors and family members to ensure the best possible solution is achieved for the patient. Moreover, a health care provider is not the sole person in charge of caring for people. He or she is a member of a team of other experienced personnel that must trust each other’s judgments and decisions to create a unified staff dedicated to caring for patients.
Furthermore, assessment of the caregiver’s perception of the health and functional status of the patient, the preparedness of the caregiver for the job of caregiving is assessed.
The nurse is able to support the patient by providing education for self care techniques. Nurse researchers participate in and conduct research to help increase knowledge and improve current standards (pg 11). Florence Nightingale, the pioneer of evidence based practice, is an example of how nursing researchers have influenced patient care needs based on current health care evidence. The nurse is also an advocate who protects the legal rights of the patient making sure they understand and agree with the decisions about their health (pg 11). The collaborator role allows the nurse to work with all of the health care team to provide the best care possible for the patient (pg 11). The caregiver is the main role of the nurse, combining all the nursing responsibilities and duties together. As stated by Taylor (2011) “The provision of care to patients that combines both the art and the science of nursing in meeting physical, emotional, intellectual, social cultural, and spiritual needs”. Using these roles, the nurse is able to treat patients with a variety of problems including those in hostile situations. Sometimes while treating patients or their families, nurses end up in a dangerous workplace
In a review of Making Grey Gold, which is a compelling evaluation of nursing home caregiving, the reading seem more like a revelation into the unknown world of the aged and/or disabled, and not just another book. Moreover, the beginnings of the book set the stage for a real life sequence unfolding in each sentence, and each chapter to the very end. The effectiveness of the book may bring current policies for nursing home care and procedures into question; however the book is more appropriate for adults considering nursing homes as an option, adult children in charge of their parents care and the staff that are employed or pending employment in such an institution.
Gordon, S., Benner, P., & Noddings, N. (1996). Caregiving: Readings in Knowledge, Practive, Ethics, and Politics. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
The Theory of Caregiver Stress explains the primary caregiver’s social role, how they reduce stress, and how they cope with stress. Tsai (2003) was able to list several propositions in this theory that can be found and applied in the nursing practice. Many research articles have related or applied the Theory of Caregiver Stress in the recent years. This paper will explain those propositions in the Theory of Caregiver Stress as well as several examples that are applied to this theory.
The purpose of this paper is an overview of Jean Watson’s Theory of Caring. This theory can be taken into account as one of the most philosophicaly complicated of existent nursing theories. The Theory of Human Caring, which also has been reffered to as the Theory of Transpersonal Caring, is middle – range explanatory theory. (Fawccett, 2000) The central point of which is on the human component of caring and actual encounter between the client and the caregiver. Jean Watson has stated that her work was motivated by her search of a new meaning to the world of nursing and patient care. “ I felt a dissonnance between nursing’s (meta) paradigm of caring-healing and health, and medicines’s (meta) paradigm of diagnosis and treatment, and concentration on disease and pathology”. (Watson, 1997,p.49)
Caring for dementia involves a lot of patience and understanding. It should be dealt with audacity and flawlessness to ensure the vulnerable adults’ well-being. Aiding at home or care home required carers to be at their best, physically and emotionally. The responsibility can be distressing but it is rewarding as well since helping dementia adults in their day to day activities is a significant matter for them. However, carers need a pause as over duty can result to substandard nursing. The big question is: who take care for the carers of people with dementia?
Within the elderly community, the existence of activities and interaction with others creates an impact on the elderly daily living. As being a provider in a home health facility, there has been a substantial amount of complaints from family members due to the lack of socializing by their loved ones. When dealing with quality care of the elderly, relationships is a major form of communication that allows each individual the opportunity to express their emotions, and continue his/her consistency of motor skills. Relationships with others are normally formed in senior citizen centers, senior communities and/or with home health
Middle adulthood is often a rewarding time for many, however, this period may be filled with several significant life demands. During this time some adults are caring for their grandchildren while simultaneously taking care of their aging and sometimes ill parents. During what is supposed to be a very rewarding developmental age, some are faced with added financial and physical burdens. This can lead to a depletion in money set aside for retirement and can create emotional and health problems for individuals in the caretaking
The government of Canada needs to develop policies to encourage the collectivist approach of filial piety. Filial piety comes from the Asian culture which means to respect and care for parents as they age (Chappell & Hollander, 2013; Muramatsu & Akiyama, 2011). Ideally, the eldest son will have his parents live with his nuclear family. His wife will be mostly responsible for the caregiving and support (Chappell & Hollander, 2013). Issues arise if the wife also has a job and the family relies on that income. Caregivers do receive support from other family members, however if the parent requires medical assistance, then additional support services is required. Thankfully, there are programs for in home caregivers, including weekly visits from health care professionals for personal and medical aid. These professionals can reduce the amount of time the family needs to support an elderly
Caregiving is an essential and very necessary aspect of the medical field. However, caregiving is also one of the most strenuous and stressful positions that exists. The patients require constant supervision, precise care and an extremely high level of patience, tolerance and skill. Eventually, this type of care begins to take a physical, emotional and financial toll on the caregiver. Because of the adverse effects of this profession, the Theory of Caregiver Stress was developed to aid those working in this difficult profession.