Creative Caregiving

You may think that you have never been a caregiver, or that for whatever reason you couldn't be. If the idea of caregiving feels overwhelming to you, I'd like to share a few examples that I've received this summer that may surprise you, and I hope they will encourage you as well...

Edi: Edi is a little girl who is actively losing her two front teeth. She comes with her mom sometimes during my bedtime shift, and puts toothpaste on my toothbrush, brings me a drink of water, and holds all my pillows while I get situated in bed. 

Penny/Ruby/Holly: Three sisters under the age of 12 accompany their mom occasionally when she comes over during lunch shift. They help by filling my water cup, getting a napkin and silverware out, washing my dishes, and keeping me company while I eat. Lunch is so much more fun and entertaining with them around. 

Connie: Pastor Ryan's mother came over one day to clean my apartment from top to bottom: swept my floors, washed and put away all my dishes, did a load of laundry, and wiped down my bathroom and kitchen. 

Grace: Grace has a little more time to hang out when she comes over, so we sometimes take my van out and run errands around town together. 

Jeff: My lift broke down twice in one week, and Jeff came over with his toolbox and Macgyver friends to troubleshoot and ultimately fix it, which gave me great peace of mind. It's good to know a handy man here!

Jared: My old ministry partner friend found out I was returning for the summer, and asked if I needed any furniture. I did, in fact, need a kitchen table and chairs, and he brought a set over one evening and put it all together for me. It's now my favorite place to sit and have tea or ice cream and get to know my new friends.  

Mark: The maintenance guy in my apartment building has proven very resourceful. One major helpful thing he's done is lower the call box beside my front door, so I can easily access it to let guests inside. 

Ryan: One day I was at a lunch meeting with my friend and Kevan's pastor, Ryan. We were sitting on the patio, trying to enjoy the beautiful weather, when my asthma started acting up and I had a coughing spell that made my eyes water and my nose run... not pretty. Ryan saw that I was struggling and wasn't entirely sure what to do, but he graciously used a napkin to wipe my face.

Ben: It was great to have a real estate friend who is aware of my needs, to help me look for an accessible place to live before I arrived. He also helped my parents get all my stuff moved in the first day I was here.


There's also a ton of moments when people have held doors open, helped me pick up or put away things, and delivered my groceries to my apartment. Even a couple of neighbors in my building have given me their phone numbers in case of emergencies. All of these acts of kindness are forms of creative caregiving! They've given me a sense of independence and freedom because they are present and willing to help with ordinary things. 

If you want to be a caregiver, just pay attention to other people around you, observe their needs, and offer to be part of their solution.

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