For me being Caregiver Friendly, range from complex to completely simple. Many, many are preforming tireless acts, intervening with time and life saving steps plus more. Some are acts of volunteers and others are the hand holding and kind smile from a health professional to a caregiver.

I pondered over how good it would be to focus on this area after a recent visit to a doctor. My mom had to have an iron infusion. A wonderful nurse, named Veronica, said, “Sometimes, when we have a vacant recliner we make our caregivers lie down and take a nap”. She must have seen the fatique in my eyes and directed me to an empty recliner with a blanket. I hope I never forget that day. That room in that hospital was “Caregiver Friendly’.

Sure, I have lots of ideas just from those things I have observed while in the emergency room, doctor offices or even the grocery store. I have listened and chatted with many caregivers. Everyone has stories of pain and joy. The joy may be there in the midst of the pain. Yet, some have joy. A kind word spoken to them by a health care worker or fellow caregiver goes a long way to healing the drama associated with caregiving.

In the midst of the business of taking care of the needs of your loved one many health professionals are hard pressed to accomodate the caregiver. There are so many people to help and sometimes so few staff to preform do things that can make a facility Caregiver Friendly. But we must try.

I want everyone reading this article to help make it go viral. Please, share what you, an organization or office is doing. Please share your ideas and suggestions as a comment . Place a number next to the idea, suggestion or comment. I really am tallying all of them up. I really do want to reach 999 tips, ideas and best practices.

Thank you for caring.