Caregiving Basics
In any caregiving situation, there are four basic guidelines
to help ensure that you offer loved ones
the attention and support that they need.
PRAY
Whether before, during or after a caregiving experience, prayer helps ensure that our caregiving reflects the heart of God. In praying before we offer care, we acknowledge our reliance on God’s strength and healing. Prayer in the midst of care directly communicates our support for our friend, reminding them of the comforting power of the Holy Spirit (remember: ask permission to pray with a friend as well as what their prayer requests are). Following up your care with a commitment to continue praying offers additional encouragement and support for the one in need.
LISTEN
Compassionate empathetic listening is a caregiving guideline that is often taken for granted or overlooked, but it’s often the most powerful way you can help a person who is suffering. To listen well you must offer your complete, undistracted attention. You must also commit to hearing more than speaking, resisting the urge to give advice or tell your own story. When you respond, acknowledge the person’s pain and ask clarifying questions. You may also encourage them to name their own feelings, struggles and thoughts.
RESPECT THE GRIEF JOURNEY
Grief is a normal and natural journey by which a person makes a healthy adjustment to any significant loss in his or her life. Anticipating and accepting the emotions a grieving person experiences will let them know you are open and kind, offering room for them to process and feel what is happening for them in healthy ways. Emotions you may observe in a grieving friend include shock, denial, depression, anger, fear and bargaining. As you welcome and listen to these emotions without managing them or offering tips and advice, you help a grieving person journey towards acceptance. Remember: stay present and gracious as you engage the wounded’s grief.
PRESERVE THE DIGNITY
“Human dignity” can be defined as one’s self-worth. Our caregiving should not diminish a person’s feelings of self-worth/self-respect. Whether we care for a co-worker who is going through a divorce, a friend who has cancer, or for a spouse or parent–we need to remember that the person is first of all a child created by God. So engage their thoughts, feelings, struggles and dreams in light of that truth. When you wonder how to respond, ask yourself what you would want done to you in that same situation.
Explore Articles on Caregiving Basics
Start a Jeri Habit
How can we honor our veterans on Veterans Day and every day? My daughter-in-law, Jeri, has a compassionate heart for veterans. When she sees a soldier, no matter where she is, she goes directly to...
“I’ll Pray For You”
Do you ever sincerely tell someone, “I'll pray for you,” and then forget to pray? I often do just that: I say, “I will pray for you,” or “You will be in my prayers,” and then I get busy with my own...
Say Three Little Words
Say, “I know you are hurting, and I really care about that. If you want to talk about it, I’ll listen.” Then let the person talk without interrupting.
Tell me, “You have been in my thoughts.” That is a greeting which will allow me to choose my response. If I feel a need to share any feelings or thoughts, I can do so, or I can choose to say simply, “Thank you,” and go on to talk of other things.
A Meaningful Sympathy Card
Receiving a note or card is like being hugged. Elsie, whose son Larry died by suicide, said, “I especially valued those sympathy cards and notes which contained some of the sender’s personal...
A Rare and Wonderful Gift
Saturday, I received a rare and wonderful gift. What was this rare and wonderful gift which I received? It was a handwritten note! It is now posted on the bulletin board by my desk, and each time...
Mommy, Listen to me!
Mommy, Listen to Me! “Mommy, listen to me! Quit saying Uh huh, and give me an answer!” How many of us Mommies are guilty of tuning out our children’s chatter, punctuating only with a few well-spaced...