Caregiving is a social institution that delivers care to the elderly with severe health conditions or those who cannot care for themselves. Being a caregiver can be both physically and emotionally hard work. The current essay is devoted to different aspects of caregiving. The paper addresses three main subtopics, including the benefits of in-home caregiving, ethical aspects of professional caregiving, and the importance of respite care.
Home care for the elderly is a widespread practice, as millions of people require help at home (Corum, 2017). In-home caregiving has distinct advantages for elderly patients. First, they do not need to adapt to a new environment that is better for their mental and physical health. Second, a personal caregiver is a great way to socialize that is crucial for the well-being of the elderly. Third, a caregiver is a person with a particular experience, and, thus, he or she can increase the quality time of the elderly people by providing help with routine tasks. There are other advantages of in-home caregiving, however, in this essay, only the main pros were mentioned.
There are three fundamental ethical principles that caregivers should follow. First, it is honesty, which means, for instance, the ability to say “no” when he or she is not supposed to do a task. Second, a caregiver should respect a patient’s beliefs and values. Third, a caregiver should demonstrate reliability by arriving on time (“Principles of caregiving,” 2011). The abovementioned ethical principles are core and need to be applied to provide the best care for patients. Another essential topic in terms of caregiving is the importance of respite care. Being a caregiver is emotionally hard work, and caregivers need support to avoid anxiety and burnout. According to Charles et al. (2012), caregivers are overburdened; therefore, the system needs to be reviewed to provide the necessary support for caregivers. It includes assisting, formalization, and centralization of support, creating navigations, and preparing the next generation for caregiving. As was explained above, ethical principles and respite care are other vital elements of caregiving.
In conclusion, the present work provided a summary of the topic of caregiving. The importance of in-home caregiving was justified and explained. In addition, the three main ethical principles of caregiving were considered, and their necessity was demonstrated. Moreover, the underestimated issue of respite care was addressed, and the academic research on this topic was presented.
References
- Charles, L., Brémault-Phillips, S., Parmar, J., Johnson, M., & Sacrey, L. A. (2012). Understanding how to support family caregivers of seniors with complex needs. Canadian Geriatrics Journal, 20(2): 75-84.
- Corum, E. (2017). Home care benefits – 5 advantages and reasons. Web.
- Principles of caregiving. (2011). The Arizona direct care curriculum project. Web.