Family caregivers famously skip their own doctor’s appointments because there’s no one to cover for them. Three hours of you on the couch is three hours they get to spend on themselves.
Give a Caregiver One Afternoon
Sit with someone's husband with dementia, or their mom in recovery, so the full-time caregiver can go to their own doctor, their own haircut, their own quiet lunch.
What you'll need
- Instructions from the caregiver — routines, meds timing, what calms them
- A phone that stays on and in your pocket
- A puzzle, old music, or photo albums to share
Pitfalls
- Ask for the routine in writing and follow it exactly. Sameness is safety.
- Offer specific hours, not "sometime" — "Tuesday, 1 to 4" gets accepted; open offers get politely declined.
- Don't report every hiccup afterward. Tell them it went fine, then details only if asked.
Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. — Mark 6:31