The Gift of Time

Often times when the care of a loved one ends up on someone else’s shoulders, our biggest problem is not knowing when and where to jump in and help. As time passes, we may ask many times how we can get involved, but the reality is that many family caregivers just don’t know how to ask for help. It isn’t that they don’t want assistance, more that they don’t know where assistance would be most beneficial. The second issue that many family caregivers face, is that they don’t realize that the gift of time could be the cure to almost all of their complaints. So, if you’re looking for a wonderful way to show appreciation to the caregiver in your family who does the lions share of work for your loved one, give them the gift of time. Here's how:

Take Over a Task:

If you live close enough to your loved one to travel there and back without too much hassle, one way to give more time to the caregiver in your life is to take over a task. An example might be to take the loved one in their care to all doctor’s appointments or to do grocery shopping or both! If the caregiver of the family lives with your loved one, this will give them a much needed break to clean up and relax without having to worry about providing care to anyone but themself. They may also take advantage of that time to find ways to re-connect with their hobbies and interests.

If you don’t live very close to your loved one, you can still help! With grocery delivery services, you can ensure that groceries are delivered to the door of your loved one at a specific time and day each week so that the caregiver doesn’t have to worry about your loved one while they’re out. To take care of appointments, contact a caregiver organization that provides transportation services to and from specialist and clinic appointments for their clients.

Reach Out and Relax:

With the advancement of technology, we have seen a significant decrease in interactions between people, especially when texting and emails are so easy to do. The problem is that we all need connections to feel supported, and for some of us those connections just need to be in person. During this holiday season, give the gift of connections by reaching out and finding a way to help them take time for themselves to relax.

If you live close enough to the caregiver in your life, you may consider a weekly lunch date that ends in some window shopping. Connect with a caregiver organization like Homewatch Caregivers of Charlotte to ensure that your loved one is cared for while the family caregiver is out with you; then take your time to connect, talk, laugh, and have a good time.

If setting a weekly lunch date is difficult due to travel or a work schedule, try doing it virtually instead! Make sure that your loved one is cared for with respite care, then invite your loved one out to lunch. Once you are both in a restaurant, you can face-time or call each other and enjoy a great conversation over a lovely meal.

Give the Gift of Pampering

The goal is to give the caregiver in your life time to themselves, whether it is a gift card to the spa combined with a gift certificate from a home care agency that allows them a few hours to themselves, you can appreciate a caregiver by showing them how valuable their time is. Something else that might help is caregiver service where light housecleaning and meals are prepped several times a week. This just might give them the time they need to relax in a bubble bath with a glass of wine. No matter how you do it, the caregiver in your life will surely appreciate the gift of time that you are giving them.