This post brought to you by Elizz. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Being Tazim.
She may not have known she’d end up a caregiver, but my mom always knew she wanted to be in the service of people who she cared about. When we lived in Texas, my mom owned and taught in a montessori school. She really cared about the children whom she was helping, really wanting to make sure they got a good education. Although she loved working with children, she had always dreamt of being a nurse.
From my grandmother to my aunt, to my other aunt, my mom has been a caregiver to many family members. Being a caregiver to members of your family takes a special kind of dedication and commitment. Unlike when she worked at various care centres, she can’t leave at the end of the day.
It may surprise you that my mom is not alone—30% of Canadians (8.1 million people) are caregivers! Check out the other statistics on caregiving in Canada, below:
When I mention to people that my mom is a caregiver, they most often remark about the difficulties she must have everyday, the emotional challenges she must go through, and the enormous time commitment she must make.
While I do acknowledge that those things are part of her reality, I want to point out how much she truly loves her job and the lifestyle that comes with it. She feels so rewarded, loves that she gets to spend so much time with my aunt (and other family members), and feels like she is doing what she is meant to be doing.
I can’t imagine my mom doing anything but caring for people that she loves.
I recently read an article on the Elizz website about “the call to being a caregiver” which made me think of my mom and the way she views caregiving.
For my mom, caregiving is a family affair. She knows when to ask for support from me and my brother, as well as from her own brother. Do you know which stage of caregiving you’re in and what support to look out for? Take the 5 Stages of Caregiving Quiz, then find out about Elizz’s caregiver services. Which Elizz caregiver services are right for you?
