6 Simple (Yet Meaningful) Ways to Support a Caregiver
CaringBridge Staff | 02.07.22
Being a caregiver is a challenging, often exhausting task. If a caregiver is working with someone who is on a long-term health journey, this becomes especially true. Assisting with medical care, food preparation, transportation… The list of caregiver responsibilities can go on and on.
Even if they haven’t asked for it, caregivers need our love and support. Opportunities exist, both big and small, to make their experience just a little bit easier. In this article, we share helpful ideas to support the caregivers in your life.
How to Support a Caregiver: 6 Simple (Yet Meaningful) Ways
1. Give Them a (Much Needed) Break
As mentioned above, caregiving can be exhausting. Recent research from the AARP shows that 40% of caregivers feel emotionally stressed, and 20% feel physically strained.
A good place to start helping caregivers is simply giving them time off, time they can spend caring for themselves. Offer to hold down the fort for a day, if you’re able. Or consider asking if you can hire a private nurse for a few hours. Whatever you’re able to do to give them a break will be much appreciated.
2. Show Up for Them
Mother Teresa wisely says, “I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” So show up for your loved one. Swing by their house for a walk, or pick up the phone and call. However you choose to show up, let them know that you care and are there for them, no matter what. We are stronger when we have support.
Tip: Consider sending them a handwritten card or thoughtful email that they can look back on. If you’re not sure what to write, these inspirational caregiver quotes are a good place to start!
3. Listen
Caregivers may feel like people don’t care about what they’re going through, or at the very least don’t understand. Sometimes your loved one might just need a listening ear to talk through what they’re experiencing.
Focus on listening to them without judgment or interruption. It’s a gesture that might feel small, but ultimately speaks volumes.
Related: 10 Thoughtful Gifts for Caregivers to Show You Care
4. Share Information on Support Groups
Without proper support, caregiving can feel lonely and isolating. Fortunately, multiple types of support groups exist – both online or in-person. These groups offer a place for caregivers to share expertise, concerns or experiences in a safe, supportive environment. Help your loved one by connecting them with a group, or offer to join them for a meeting.
Tip: If this sounds like it could be helpful for your loved one, check out our article on caregiver support groups. We share tips on how to choose the right group, plus options for both online and in-person support groups.
5. Help with Specific Day-to-Day Tasks
Managing a person’s care may already be a full-time job for some caregivers. Add day-to-day tasks like cooking and cleaning, and it’s easy to see how one could feel overwhelmed.
You can relieve that burden by offering to help with some of life’s daily needs. Bring over homemade meals or send gift cards to favorite restaurants. Shovel their driveway. Offer to walk their dogs. All these tasks add up when going it alone, but even knocking off just one from the to-do list can provide relief.
Note that caregivers may be hesitant to ask for help because they don’t want to impose. To relieve this pressure, offer your support with specific tasks instead of asking them to let you know if they need anything.
6. Raise Money for Everyday Needs on GoFundMe
Did you know that one in five caregivers experience significant financial strain as a result of providing care? Many times they are also responsible for their loved one’s healthcare costs. Essentials like groceries, childcare, eating out, and much more can also start to add up over time, which is why offering financial support can be so very helpful.
There are many ways to help cover caregiving costs. For example, starting a fundraiser to help with something specific like a car payment or rent, or something more general like monthly bills or wellbeing. Consider asking your loved one where the costs add up the most, so you can be sure your gift is making the most impact.
To fundraise for a caregiver, you can start a GoFundMe and connect it to a CaringBridge page. CaringBridge pages and GoFundMe pages are often set up by friends and family of patients and caregivers.
Using our GoFundMe integration is a great way to allow a caregiver’s network of loved ones to easily donate, spread the word, and become more involved in their life.
Depending on the caregiver’s needs, you can start a GoFundMe for specific tasks or for more broad needs. Whether it be raising money for a self-care weekend or for a month’s worth of groceries, this is an incredibly meaningful way to give back to a caregiver.
How Do You Support the Caregivers In Your Life?
Doing any one of these things for your loved one is a thoughtful gesture that truly will make a difference. Now we’d like to hear from you: What ways do you show love and support to the caregivers in your life? Or if you’re a caregiver, what would be most helpful? Please share your stories and ideas in the comments below!
My Mom died from complications of Dementia. She was truly blessed to spend the last several year of her life In a small care faculty who had a Memory Care unit. Not only was she well cared for, she was loved and supported for who she was as an individual. We chose a cafe facility over in home care due to my Mom’s very social personality.
Bless all
Who care for those in need. L💗
Caregiving for 82 y.o. husband with recent major back surgery and balance issues. We are lucky to live in Florida in a 1k square foot, one bedroom, 2 bath home in a 55+ RV Resort. Many with the same or similar issues that we are dealing with and since its warm enough to spend time sitting on a front porch, going for a ride in our golf cart or sitting on screened in deck in the back overlooking a lake, I feel we are blessed. So far, so good. Company comes for a chat often and we are close to hospital and doctors.
I am my HWP’s caregiver. Little things mean a lot, as they are often really, to us, big things. Last week I was beyond crazy trying to get up all our leaves before the snow flew. I really thought I wouldn’t be able to do it by myself. We came home from PT one day to see our neighbor picking up the leaves with his big mower! It was an easy job for him, but meant the world to us. To top it all off, he is a brand new neighbor, just moved in! I didn’t even know his name yet! But he could see just what we needed and did it. I think I am going to like the new neighbors! 💕
I posted a question to a caregiver group which was if someone sent you a caregiver care package what would it contain. Most wanted a day off, a massage, grocery or dinner out gift certificate, chocolate, someone that really cared and some hugs. Some wanted a warm blanket and something nice to drink (that varied from hot chocolate, wine, harder alcohol). Some needed that financial help. That would be my #1 as we struggle horribly financially and it just adds more stress.
Please don’t say “take care of yourself.” Instead, ask if you can order groceries or bring something needed. Come and give the caregiver a few hours off so they actually can “take care of themselves.” Actions are appreciated as well as kind words. And pray for everyone involved.
Thank you for sharing this piece about caregivers. I am a caregiver and completely understand what was said.
Just ask the caregiver “How are YOU”. I care for my 94 year old mom and I can’t tell you how often I am asked “how is your mom” Very very rarely do people ask me “How are you?” That simple gesture means so much.
What if they refuse all help. Or when I say that I can help, they never communicate with me, how or when. What if they never even talk about their situation, or share.
Please, use whichever method the caregiver asks you to! I am caring for my husband after a stroke, and I maintain a CaringBridge site for him where we post updates Every Single Night. And every night, we beg for comments, just a few words for me to read out loud to him.
And every night, only two people comment. And when I do ask the others (in emails or over the phone) they say they don’t know what to say.
Please, people – if the caregiver asks for something, don’t disregard it as trivial. And don’t disregard it because YOU are embarrassed, YOU don’t know what to say. Please, just listen when they talk. If they mention (as I do), that their person has little they can eat from takeout due to medical issues, then sending restaurant cards is not useful.
And yes, they need respite care. And yes, the patient may reject it. It’s delicate. This will take a time investment. If you can, visit. Then visit again. Once the patient knows how to interact with you, they may accept you for a whole day.
As a caregiver, there is nothing more terrifying than people who offer to help and then do more harm than good. Every situation is different, people. Come over, listen, learn – and then offer. We may have conditions, we may have things you need to learn. It may not be easy. But we appreciate it more than we can express.
We love you.
My wife is 86. I’m a caregiver. I’d just like time to visit my family who live out of town. She has lots of family who are willing to help, but won’t let them in.
My wife had an aneurysm in the circle of Willis. Over the next 13 years her health gradually deteriorated until she died of physical deterioration due to arthritis and inoperable spinal deterioration. My role throughout was to be her lover, companion, caregiver while she deteriorated mentally and physically. As long as we could we went on drives to spend a day in a shady park. I made sure when I was out of town that a made a card for each day that the staff could give her. I took her for a daily walk with her wheelchair. I ate some meals with her. I brought the family together on special occasions and involved them in getting her Hospice Care to ease her suffering and pain. I made sure she had colorful, lounging and bed clothing. My oldest daughter and I held her hand when she died. It was 12 years of care, given in love for the woman I loved.
Excellent suggestions. Exhaustion can be the caregiver’s enemy. Go to the store —by groceries that the person needs. Stay will the ill one—your presence is comforting, even if you say nothing—pray.