Short work week, family gatherings, great food, time to relax and sleep. That my friend is most caregiver’s dream. But lets talk about reality a bit. Caregivers like Doctors and Nurses don’t always get the holidays off. If you are extremely lucky perhaps your people will go home to be with their family, but a lot of times this isn’t the case.
For caregivers like me Holidays are more work, more hours and more drama. In a small, understaffed home such as mine we work together so that each person gets to spend at least one chosen holiday with their family. In order for that to happen the rest pick up the slack.
For Thanksgiving this year I have a person with certain dietary issues that I must consider, then there is the behavioral issues that occur. Some that occur for not being invited home with the rest of the family for dinner (usually because they are to hard work and/or embarrassing to the families), for other reasons like jealousy that the roommates went home and well as their normal issues.
At my home we try hard to make sure to offer as much Thanksgiving cheer as we can. We do a breakfast treat like fresh baked cinnamon rolls. Offer to watch the parade, a movie such as It’s A Wonderful Life or in my case watch the football game which my lady does in between pacing the house. We do a light snack and then sit down for dinner as a family would.
At home family sleeps in, wakes up, has breakfast and prepares for the day. Visiting with parents, siblings and other family. Sitting down to eat many of the family favorites like pierogies and my mother in law’s stuffing. After dinner playing board games until time for pie. Then heading home to fall into a food coma.
I know people reading this will be like…Well you chose the job. It’s true I did and I am so very good at it. That is the point MOST caregivers chose our careers and are good at it. But we also want you to think about what we give up and have a little bit of compassion. Think of it this way are you off from Wednesday evening until Monday morning? If you are good for you. I am working 40 hours in that same time period.
Have a great Thanksgiving and when giving thanks take a moment to remember those that are working so you can rest.
