Help! I'm a Caregiver
A Book of Helps, Comfort, Insights, and Encouragement
Ernest M. Tegeder
Copyright Ā© 2021 by Ernest M. Tegeder
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.
Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
832 Park Avenue
Meadville, PA 16335
www.christianfaithpublishing.com
Printed in the United States of America
Table of Contents
Caregiving as a Profession
DoctorsāThe Caregiverās Partner
Physical TherapistsāCaregivers Also
First Responders and ER PersonnelāThe Ultimate Caregivers
Stages (Levels) of Caregiving
Devices and Apparatus Used in Caregiving
The Finances of Caregiving
The Emotional Aspects of Caregiving
Humor and Cheerfulness
Elder Caregiving
ListeningāBeing a Good Listener
Caring for Oneās Spouse
The Mental/Spiritual Side
A Caregiverās Demeanor and Attitude
Caring for Someone with Mental Issues
The MindāWhere Lifeās Biggest Battles Take Place
Parkinsonās and Its Special Needs
Treatment and Managing of Parkinsonās
The Spiritual Side to Illness
Parkinsonās and Other Disabilities from the Patientās Point of View
CaregivingāThe Larger Picture
Communication Difficulties
Managing Medications
Dementia and Hallucinations
Maintaining Oneās Own Well-Being as a Caregiver
Efficiency Tips
Memories Pleasant and Otherwise
The āGrouchyā Patient
The āGrouchyā Caregiver
The Dreaded āAā Word
Depression and Suicide
The Power of Music
The Self-Preservation Instinct
Eating Disorders and Nutrition
An Addendum on Vitamins
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Caregiving
IncontinenceāAccidents and Cleanup
The āPlacementā Separation
The Exhaustion Factor
Handling Guilt
Conclusion and Patient Release
So What Have We Learned?
I dedicate this book to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
and my dear wife, Barbara, the love of my life,
for whom it is now my privilege to be her caregiver.
Preface
This book has been written as a help, guide, encouragement, and hurrah for anyone who finds they have been assigned to care for a child, mate, elderly parent, or perhaps in a professional capacity.
You will discover very quickly that caregiving is no easy task, and it involves many facets. It will tax everything about you from your strength to your emotions, patience, spiritual strength, and right down to your very character.
This book will also not pull punches and will confront head-on all the issues you will face and encounter. In all likelihood, some of the issues you will or must confront you may find troublesome or embarrassing, in that certain thoughts and feelings may arise that you wish didnāt. Confronting them will help you deal with your state of mind.
Lastly, this book is written from a godly Christian perspectiveāwhich, if you are one, you will welcome. And if you are not, you may be led and drawn by it to a relationship with Jesus Christ, our loving God and Creator.
Introduction
Itās been said we come into this world needing lots of care and we generally leave it the same way. Therefore caregiving is a necessity, but it is something more. It is an expression of reality combined with love. The reality is that the human condition we pass through puts all of us in need of care at some point and the love part is how and who gives it and how it is given.
The chapters, and how they are presented, introduce one to the various aspects of caregiving plus, in some cases, present ...