Monday, May 26, 2008

Caring for the Carers

Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter's or sculptor's work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God's spirit? It is one of the Fine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts. ~ Florence Nightingale

Nurses are paid for their work in the fine art of caring for people, but not all caregivers are on salary, and many do not have the luxury of time off to regain strength and energy for this strenuous task. Family is a great resource for caregivers, many of whom are unpaid full-time carers.

Often people become caregivers, not as a professional choice, but as a result of family circumstance. A spouse, a parent, a child or favorite relative may have an accident or illness that results in the need for a part- or full-time caregiver. Family members are great for this role. They often want to help anyway, and what better way than to help with daily life activities and become a caregiver?

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