eCare Diary Team

What does it mean to celebrate the holidays? When you hear that, does your heart still beat with anticipation and warmth? Do you thrill at hanging decorations and going holiday shopping? Does planning the holiday meal fill your mind with glee? Sadly, for caregivers, that to-do list can be anything but joyous. It’s not that we don’t love the holidays, we do. It’s just that the long list of tasks and treasures and people often has to be slotted in with taking care of our patient day in and day out – and sometimes THAT is slotted in between full-time jobs and kids – and life. 

Being on the forefront of caregiving and what that means to thousands and thousands of families, and of course being caregivers in our own lives, we at eCareDiary want to remind care providers of the three biggest gifts that they have this holiday season.

1. Friends. Sometimes, when life seems to go 24 hours a day without a break, and so many people depend on us, it can really feel like we’re alone – especially at the holidays. By asking our friends to be present for us, we can really relinquish that isolation. I know that at times, when my role as caregiver was huge in my life, the only way I could meet my close friends was to connect at midnight!  But it was worth it. I have some hilarious memories of doubled-over laugh attacks at the diner while reconnecting with my closest friends and sharing challenges.

2. Faith. No matter what formal path your faith takes, believing that your contribution matters – in bigger ways than you can articulate or perhaps even recognize – is vital.  We are caregivers, and that is a labor of love. Sometimes it is thankless. Even our loved ones can’t always thank us – perhaps because they physically can’t articulate how they feel, and perhaps because they’re just too vulnerable. Having said that, it can be pretty tough when you feel depleted and the warmth of a spoken thank you isn’t there. But knowing, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that who we are and why we give is bigger than anything that could be articulated – that we are part of what matters most in this world – well that is all about faith.

3. Forums. Remember as you go through what can seem like endless challenges, you are not alone. As we speak there are more than two million care providers figuring it out every moment. They are juggling how to get the gifts, with who will take care of mom, or how to get out to shop for the holiday meal, with who will be here if my grandfather needs help getting to the rest room. No matter how isolating caregiving can feel, you are absolutely not alone. Finding a place online to share and receive consolation and solutions is life changing.

Finally, definitely find a source of expert information and resources to support you and your family and your patient. We work hard to make sure that eCareDiary is that source, of course, and we provide the best content and experts we can find – every day, around the clock.

So this is our holiday wish for all of the caregivers out there: We wish you friends to lighten your load, and faith to strengthen you on tough days. We wish you a forum to surround you with comfort and understanding, and a tribe of colleagues and experts to guide you and offer you direction when you feel lost or overwhelmed.

We have chosen to make caregiving our mission because we have LIVED those issues and know the needs around them – and our best holiday gift is knowing that we’ve made a difference to so many of you. Thanks for allowing us to be part of your families and your work. 

Susan Baida
Co-founder of eCareDiary.com