When it comes to showing appreciation for a caregiver, there are many ways that we can do it. It doesn’t matter whether you’re talking about a live in home care provider, someone who only stops by a couple of times a week, or someone who is family to the elderly patient, caregivers deserve appreciation. The reason why it’s so important to show appreciation to these men and women who sacrifice, who give up much of their time and even time with their own families to care for someone else is because they allow our elderly loved ones to be able to remain in the comfort of their own home, to recover from surgery, illnesses, and injuries in that comfortable environment rather than being institutionalized in a nursing home or other long-term care facility.
No matter what level of care that your elderly loved one’s home care provider offers, there are many ways that you can show appreciation for what they do. Below are three simple ways to let them know that their work and effort is noticed.
- Say ‘Thank you.’ It may sound too obvious, or too simple, but the simple words, ‘Thank you,’ can mean so much to people who might feel as though their effort doesn’t matter. Just think about how you might have felt when you were doing something for someone else (even at your job), and they thanked you. It made you feel good, didn’t it? For most of us, it does.
- Offer them a day off or night out. If your loved one receives a high amount of care, such as 24 hour care, you could show your appreciation to the caregiver by offering them an unscheduled day or night off. You can tell them that you’ll come and be there for your loved one so that they can have the rest of the night off. They could go out on a date, spend time with their loved ones, or just relax in the comfort of their home.
- Gift cards. Many people love getting gift cards and you could give your loved one’s caregiver a gift card to a restaurant or other establishment that could mean more than the value on the card. If you plan on going this route, though, make sure that the value of the gift card is enough for them to take a friend to dinner with them.
Hopefully, these ideas can help you come up with even more ways to show appreciation to the caregiver in your life. Feel free to share different ideas, too!
For all of your senior care needs in Mt. Laurel, NJ and the surrounding areas call and talk to us at Home to Stay Healthcare Solutions (856) 321-1500.
