the caregiver

For the people who know me they understand that I have been looking after my grandfather as a favor for my family for about four years now. It has definitely been a time of challenges for sure but I think I am holding up good.

This job is probably the most mentally challenging that I will ever have in my life. You have to be able to be relentless and able to do the same thing everyday and to find methods to think around or work around major disasters.

My first couple months of caregiving were about worrying if I would be able to do a good job and to take good care of my grandpa. Mow I find that the only challenge I have left is to manage a way to keep my sanity when doing the things the job requires of me.

In a way it is the ability to have critical thinking for lots of different things such as maintaining and keeping up with meals medication doctors appointments and all the tasks of being a home health helper as its part of the job.

There are moments I have when I wonder why I keep doing this and how I have to be mentally insane to keep caregiving but then there are moments when I realize that I have come farther than most other people would last so that is nice to know.

The things that I can quickly deal with now are things that most people would say no to.

For example, the poop disasters that happen weekly are enough to make anyone run away from the job.

Is it because I get paid to do it? YES ABSOLUTELY  but lately I look at how long I have been caregiving and wonder if I am the one who is nuts.

Most of the time I refer to searching the internet to answer the questions I have about caregiver burnout and usually these sources explain the importance of self care and maintaining your mental health while others talk about maintaining a sense of humour to avoid depression.

This job is definatley hard and is not for everybody.

The reason I continue to do it is because I am convinced that I am the best caregiver ever

and also I like getting paid.

I have thought about talking about my journey to see if I can help other unemployed people find a good paying job but I am am conflicted because the job is very complicated and mentally challenging.

I’m not sure about talking people into a job that is this difficult but Im sure that other elderly people are a bit more chill at least I like to imagine they are.

As always thank you for reading.