How can a caregiver best honor their care receiver who served in the military?
No matter what type of caregiver you are, there are many ways to honor your care receiver’s previous service. If you live with or nearby your care receiver, make plans to visit them on days of significance like Memorial Day and Veterans Day; if you live further away, call them, FaceTime them, or send a thoughtful text, email, or letter, enlisting the help of your care team as necessary. When you do spend time with your care receiver, be it in-person or virtually, take steps to be an active listener when they speak about their military experience:
- Show interest in learning more while remaining respectful of their boundaries
- Be mindful of verbal and non-verbal signals that demonstrate comfort vs. discomfort
- If your care receiver becomes distressed, help guide the conversation to a more pleasant topic with verbal cues and, if possible, treasured objects/memories (like family photos)
- If you are unfamiliar with the details of your loved one’s military experience, ask a trusted family member (or another member of your care team who regularly interacts with your loved one) for tips on how you can best support and engage with your care receiver
If your care receiver lives locally, search for veteran appreciation events like parades, reunions, or luncheons to attend as appropriate. Regardless of distance, you can also honor your loved one by making a donation in their name to an agency that supports veterans.
Southern Caregiver Resource Center’s professionally trained staff are equipped to support all caregivers and care receivers, including those who have served in the military. Pre-recorded caregiving classes like How to Be a Friend to Someone Living With Dementia, Navigating Care: Traumatic Brain Injury, Home Safety, and Communicating with Care are especially beneficial to those caring for a veteran. Visit www.scrc.care and explore the iCare Portal for even more caregiving resources.
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