-
Caregivers and your siblings
I’ve had caregivers for as long as I can remember— well, according to my parents, since I was 3 years old. So, basically my entire life.
Of course, as a child, I never questioned the impact my caregivers would have on my brother. They were simply an extension of my life. Never did I consider the implications of how a stranger in my home would affect our family dynamic. But, I mean, what kid would?
Now that my brother and I are older, he has told me stories about some caregivers weren’t as receptive to him and would often ignore him altogether when they were in our home. And that kind of breaks my heart.
I can’t imagine being a kid and feeling like I’m living in the shadow of my medically complex sister who requires attention around the clock.
Even so, let it be known my brother is a SAINT. He never resented me, has loved me unconditionally, and has always treated me with the utmost respect.
But is this common among caregivers and their patients’ siblings? Have you noticed siblings being cast aside and feeling left out by caregivers?
-
3 Replies
-
My caregivers don’t all interact with my brother a ton, but they certainly don’t ignore him. In fact, some of them have great relationships with him. They enjoy talking to him, have a genuine interest in his life, and seek his advice about what they’re own teenage kids might be into. The ones who aren’t as close to him are usually the ones that just work shifts where he’s not around as much like third shift. In our house, we think it’s really important that caregivers get along with every member of our home, and we all need to be comfortable with that person, so if someone wasn’t treating him kindly, it would be addressed pretty quickly.
-
oh I’m so glad to hear that. I think it’s so important for home caregivers to get along with all members of the family like you said. Fortunately, we only had a couple of nurses in my lifetime that weren’t very receptive to my brother, but still. It frustrates me when I think about it.
-
That’s definitely frustrating! You never want to see someone you love being treated any less than you know they deserve. It especially frustrating when the person behaving that way is someone that you’ve trusted to come into your home and essentially become a part of your family.
Log in to reply.