Caregiving Reflection: Analyzing Responses & Concerns of Caregivers

This essay provides a reflection on caregiving, analyzing the responses of caregivers in various scenarios presented in assigned videos. It explores the differences in care provided by spouses versus other family members, similarities and differences in care situations, concerns of caregivers for themselves and their loved ones, and which caregiver seemed most at peace with the care decision. The reflection delves into the emotional and practical challenges faced by caregivers, including stress, frustration, and the impact on their personal lives. It highlights the importance of patience and personal care in supporting patients, particularly those with dementia, and emphasizes the need for caregivers to manage their own well-being while providing care.

Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy 1
Table of Contents
Response of the caregiver differs with family member..........................................................2
Similarities in the care situations............................................................................................2
Differences in the care situation.............................................................................................2
Concern caregivers have for themselves................................................................................2
The most accepting care decision...........................................................................................2
References..................................................................................................................................3

Occupational therapy 2
Response of the caregiver differs with family member
The care response in these cases definitely differs when given by family members or
given by care takers. As, family members have an emotional attachment with them.
Caregivers in many cases ignore the feelings of a patient as they don’t take it personally.
They will provide a proper medication and facilities that a patient need but will forget to ask
and deal with the personal issues. Caregivers have their boundaries set and they wouldn’t go
beyond that. On the other hand, family members would do anything to support the patient and
keep them healthy.
Similarities in the care situations
In all the three cases, patient needs a 24 hours support from the care givers. They need
the provision the whole day long. The common concern in all three cases is providing a
proper care and security as the family members are somewhere engaged with their daily
schedule. In all these cases, patients face difficulty in walking (Jing, et. al, 2016). The patient
have the feeling of isolation in all the cases thus it is necessary that caregivers make them feel
lively and happy. This helps them in recovery fast (Youtube ,2018a). The time that is given
by caregivers is a never ending time as they need to be present next to the patient every
second.
Differences in the care situation
In one of the case that is of Amy Goyer, she is been kept under the surveillance of
caregiver as her daughter cannot be there for whole day. All the daily activities and
medication process is completed by the caregiver. In the other case, her husband used to be
their next to her, to support her physically as well as to provide mental comfort. The issue of
social withdrawal, depression and irritability can be resolved by family members (Youtube,
2018b) . This it was found that it is important to caregivers to believe that they need to spend
the whole day with patient to provide them personal care.
Concern caregivers have for themselves
Caregivers suffer from high level of stress, feeling of frustration and helplessness
while offering care. They feel emotionally strained by living in a depressing environment.
They often face the feeling of loss of self-identity and lower level of self-esteem. At one
point, caregivers feel that they are not able to handle their responsibilities (Meadows, Graney,
Harshman & Swigris, 2017). They are not able to plan their long term objectives as they live
in a complete unpredictable situation. This somewhere affect their lifestyle due to failure of
personal health and poor eating habits.
The most accepting care decision
The third video that is “Dementia: Walking in the shoes of a caregiver” is one of the case I
found in which care giver managed all the things in pace. As, in this the patient was
completely dependent on the caregiver for every activity (Youtube ,2016). Thus it was seen
all the activities and support that were given by the care giver was done with patience. It
helps the patient to recovery fast as proper personal care were provided.

Occupational therapy 3

Occupational therapy 4
References
Jing, H. A. N., Gui-fang, G. U. O., Bao-feng, D. E. N. G., Jing, F., & Wei, M. (2016). Formal
caregivers' experience of coping with behavioral and psychological symptoms of
dementia in clinical settings: a qualitative study. Chinese Journal of Nursing, 10, 008.
Meadows, S., Graney, B., Harshman, A., & Swigris, J. J. (2017). C101 IPF: CLINICAL
STUDIES, THERAPEUTICS, AND MORE II: Improving Disease-Related Education
For Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (ipf) Patients And Their Caregivers. American
Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 195.
Youtube. (2016). Who Takes Care of Me?" Amy Goyer on Caregiving | AARP. Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO9H2AYXTUk
Youtube. (2018a). Dementia: Walking in the shoes of a caregiver. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6k8tSQyXUM&sns=em.
Youtube. (2018b). In Sickness and In Health: Elderly Caregivers. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO9H2AYXTUk.