Celebrate National Family Caregiver Month by listening in to this program where Joni honors all caregivers!
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada sharing hope with you, today. For anyone who has taken Ken’s place as my caregiver, they get a crash course on the demands of helping someone with a disability. I mean, right away, whoever’s helping me gets immersed in countless routines. Like, Ken’s got to go fishing, so they have to learn catheters, leg bags, disinfecting urological equipment, picking up meds from the pharmacy. They help me with chest percussion therapy, spirometer readings, and they have to blow my nose at least ten times a day. Bed baths, nebulizers, and that’s just scratching the surface. And after Ken comes home from his fishing trip, well, my friend always marvels and says, “People have no idea what you and Ken go through. They are clueless!” And you know what? They are right.
People assume I just wake up and, here I am, all dressed with makeup on! And that’s my point. People assume that the disabled person has everything covered. It’s manageable, doable, it’s reasonable. One individual, such as my husband, simply cannot do “it all,” day after day after day after day, week in and week out. And it’s not just me and Ken. It’s every family that deals with disability.
And when I observe these families, my goodness, I think Ken and I have it easy. Many parents who come to our Joni and Friends Family Retreats; they are raising children who have significant developmental delays; some of these boys and girls must be tube fed and toileted. Other children have autism, some with sleep disorders. And then there are families with elderly parents who have special needs. Some say that it’s hard to ever get privacy in their own home when they are caring for an elderly in-law or parent. Even when the disabling condition in the family and it’s not that demanding; still, a break is needed. That mom or dad – often that single parent – they need respite. And the dictionary describes respite as “an interval of relief.”
But it takes others who care enough to come in and provide that relief. Maybe a neighbor that offers to learn a child’s routine, or a Bible study friend, or a relative who can sit with an elderly family member and play checkers – anything constructive while others take a much-needed break. For example, recently I lost the use of my right arm with which I feed myself. So, two evenings a week, my neighbor Kristen comes up and fixes and feeds me my meal while Ken gets a chance to enjoy his dinner. It doesn’t take much time or effort, but who can place a value on that small act of Christian kindness?! And when we say grace over our meal, I always bless the hands of Kristen who serves me. And, oh, do these respite providers deserve a blessing because the need is great!
But the calling to caregiving is really, honestly; it’s out of this world. Because Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew that when you give a drink of water to the least of these, you have inasmuch done it to him. Yep, I believe there will be a Gospel reward for caregivers who give and for those wonderful neighbors and friends who step in to offer respite. Hey, it’s National Family Caregiver Month and if you are a caregiver, visit joniradio.org where we’ve put a link to an episode on the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast. It’s called “Alzheimer’s: Help and Hope for Caregivers.” This wonderful interview with Susan Wahlers; it’s got lots of help and hope and ideas to offer. So, if you are helping someone, go to joniradio.org and look for the link because National Family Caregiver’s Month is all about honoring you!
© Joni and Friends