Caregivers and Caregiving

Being a caregiver is the most thankless role in the world.
Everybody gives the patient some slack, as they should,
but the caregiver has the stress of life
and then you put a catastrophic illness on top of it
...the stress goes through the roof.

Marcia Wallace

I think that, because her life story was rewritten by this disease,
she is now just existing with the music still in her.
And I think that's what hurts the most:
She just never got to finish her story.

Leeza Gibbons

Caregiving is not a role people usually choose. It seems to choose us, emerging from events and circumstances beyond our control.

Spinal cord injury, debilitation or sudden illness may come without warning. This is a job that cannot be skirted and cannot always be delegated. It can be difficult, physically and emotionally. It can be time-consuming.

While caring for loved ones can be enormously satisfying, there are days, it seems, that offer little reward.

Caregivers, the men and women who care for family members and loved ones, deserve to be recognized and supported for the vital part they play in the lives of people with paralysis.

Caregivers may work in isolation from others in similar circumstances but they share much in common. It is important that caregivers connect with each other, to gain strength and to know that they are not alone.

It is essential that caregivers know about tools -- the homecare products and services -- that might make their jobs easier. It's also important that caregivers are aware of community and public resources that offer assistance.

Caregivers also need to know that support and respite systems exist to address the well-being and health of caregivers themselves.