EMPATHY....IT'S NOT JUST FOR CLIENTS ANYMORE

 I am sure those of us who rely on caregivers for assistance have horror stories. One of our biggest fears is being trapped in bed because our caregiver did not show up. Guess what? Our caregivers have horror stories, too. 

We rant and. rave. We write posts. We use social media to let everyone know we deserve caregivers who will provide our care however we want. It's our life, not theirs. Our caregivers have no idea what it's like to be us. Dependant.

That's true. Our caregivers do not know what It's like to be disabled. They don't know what it's like to be dependent on others to be able to live their lives. 

 

Here's something I bet a lot of us with disabilities never thought about. 

As clients, we have no idea what our caregivers' lives are like. They come to work in all kinds of inclement weather. They show up when they don't feel well. If the weather is a mixture of dangerous cold and snow, making driving hazardous, a caregiver may become trapped at work. A carryover got stuck here this week. She was away from her family for two days. The families of our caregivers make sacrifices, too. This is something I had never considered until the recent winter storm. 

And, let's remember all the intimate and, at times, disgusting things we ask them to do for us. Do we even realize it? Do we just expect it? A human being's bodily functions are natural but gross. Not everyone can or should be a caregiver. Caregivers are special people.

This post is dedicated to all those individuals who provide care. Group homes, nursing homes. hospitals or in-home care. The location doesn't matter.

 I just want to thank you. I get it now.

 Empathy...it's not just for clients anymore.