Or doing a million and one other things to help someone who can't manage to do all the things one must do on their own then.
Maybe you are one of three children each of who does something different with mom -- a brother visits mom two times a week and brings dinner, a sister lives far away and calls every morning, and you take your mother out to lunch once a week and then run some errands with her - go grocery shopping, stop at the bank, go to the hairdresser, in addition to a daily evening call.
Or maybe despite having two sisters and a brother who live nearby, you're the only one who provides support and care to mom - mom lives with you, and you help her with dressing and bathing, generally prepare all the meals, pay her bills, and make and bring her to all her Dr. appointments. She has complex health problems that require the use of oxygen, a special diet and regular blood tests.
A caregiver is anyone -- a relative, life partner, friend or neighbor who is helping someone they care about - maybe its an older person who has chronic health conditions or an adult with a disability -- with everyday tasks of living. It doesn't matter what it is, how frequently it is done or how long it takes to do it; if they live with the person they are helping, live in the same neighborhood, live in a nearby city or across the country.
A caregiver provides the help because they want to, because they feel a sense of obligation and responsibility. They care about the person and want to do what they can to help.
If this is you - we want to thank you for all you do and encourage you to use the resources in this Toolkit and the local resources in your area.
