This guest post comes from Scott, Kristen and Patrick offer their experienced advice on some ways that people can step up to help the caregivers in your life rest, recharge, and maybe even relax. They are part of the Embracing Carers community, a global initiative led by EMD Serono, in collaboration with leading caregiver organizations around the world. Embracing Carers is designed to increase awareness, discussion, and action about the often-overlooked needs of caregivers. Given that caregivers need support and often do not know where to turn for help, Embracing Carers was created to fill that void.
Do the little things they don’t have time for. When someone is caring for a loved one, everything else becomes a second priority — including their own health and home. You can help by offering to cook, do meal prep, or tidy up for your caregiving friend, or for their loved one.
Go where they can’t. Offer to help make grocery runs, transport their loved one to doctors’ appointments, or simply take their cared-for person out for a Sunday drive to appreciate the fresh air while your caregiving friend gets a much-needed breather of their own.
Be a pet pal. If your caregiving friend or their cared-for person has a dog, offer to walk it or drive it to the groomer. Or, if there’s a dog park nearby, and if the cared-for person is up for joining you on your outing, you can give both person and pet a welcome social break from their homebound routine.
Trade them some of your free time. Offer to make home visits and keep their loved one company while your caregiving friend runs errands, hits the gym, or simply takes a break to recharge. Many caregivers have trouble finding the time to maintain their own health habits or hobbies, so lending your friend an hour or two of your time each week could make a huge difference.
Teach your children the value of caring for others. If your kids are off from school, help them get involved in your substitute caregiving activities as well. Not only does this help them develop their cross-generational people skills, but it also enhances their empathy, their attention to detail, and their sense of purpose and interconnectedness with others.
Always begin by asking. Caregiving is a very personal experience, and caregivers and their loved ones often have specific routines that can’t be easily adjusted. Offering help that your caregiving friends can’t accept could make them feel ungrateful, which only adds to their internal frustration. So instead, ask the caregivers in your life what they need most. Is it help with running errands, preparing meals, juggling their family schedule, finding the time to exercise or meditate, or something else entirely?
Listen for roadblocks. Even when they’re open to discussing their challenges, your caregiving friends may still feel too embarrassed, ashamed, or guilty to let themselves admit what they need — “Oh, I’d love to start practicing my art again, or to go see a concert, but I just don’t have the time, and I’d feel so guilty.” Listen for these self-imposed limits, and then suggest practical and actionable ways that you might be able to help: “What if I sat with the person you’re caring for and kept them company for a few hours on Wednesday nights? Would having one free evening each week help you do something that you don’t currently have time for?” By offering ways around their roadblocks, you can help remind your caregiving friends that their own self-care is more accessible than they may realize.
As you may have noticed, many of these suggestions are helpful not just during the summer, but they work all year long. That’s because caregivers need all the help they can get no matter what time of year it is. If you can offer them a hand during the summer when your own schedule is most flexible, that “summer vacation” will be extremely welcome — and it could even create a new opportunity for you to keep contributing even after summer ends.
[1] Embracing Carers™. (2017) 2017 Caregiver Survey. https://www.
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