What is a caregiver? Who is skilled enough to be a caregiver? Who needs a caregiver? Allow me to introduce Florence Nightingale.

Florence Nightingale was a famous woman who believed in serving others’ health needs and honoring the medical profession that she regarded so highly.

It may seem a strange principle to enunciate as the very first requirement in a hospital that it should do the sick no harm. Florence Nightingale

As a person who has experienced great, long term illness, one of which was Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I am drawn to the legacy and person of Florence Nightingale. Not only did she dedicate her life to serving others’ medical needs, but she herself also was thought to have suffered with a similar illness, possibly even CFS itself!

Note: Keep reading to get all of today’s incredible information provided by the Health Matters Show blog post and podcast. Namely, 1) A moving, personal account of someone who has been a caregiver, 2) The Florence Nightingale Pledge, and 3) your very own “FREE” copy of “The Caregiver’s Guide”.

(Today’s podcast is 6 minutes 17 seconds.)

…there have been suggestions in recent well-regarded medical journals such as the Lancet and British Medical Journal, that historical figures such as Florence Nightingale,[2] and Charles Darwin[3] may have suffered from a similar illness. In the case of Florence Nightingale, her illness began after she returned from the Crimean War and spent years housebound, too fatigued to talk to more than one visitor at a time (Wessely et al. 1999; Shepherd, 1999; Macintyre, 1998).

In addition to two more things for you today (which you’ll find below), I am brought to tears by a Facebook friend of mine, Corina. When I asked for help in writing this blog post, she quickly stepped up and told me of her 6-year-long period of serving as her grandmother’s caregiver. Her grandmother came down with Alzheimers and needed help.

Corina stepped in and ultimately sacrificed much of her own quality of life. She was a new mother and suffered with Fibromyalgia herself. At first, Corina tried to take care of her grandmother in her apartment, but ultimately, was forced to bring her loved one home. There was no one else to be the needed caregiver. (Paraphrased)

…as a caregiver for someone with Alzheimers, it’s very difficult because you do not know what the persons wants or needs. They no longer know how to tell you. In a way, it’s harder than caring for a child. I would …constantly have to guess and investigate her feelings etc. on a minute to minute basis, making sure she actually swallowed her pills, etc.

I basically bathed her, colored her hair… did all the nail cutting, cleaning dentures and at times had to handle accidents that happened when she wasn’t even aware of what had happened to her. Basically she wore a Depends. ‘I actually cried the first time I had to change her.’ To me that felt like things were turning for the worst. It’s very difficult in my opinion to not just be a caregiver, but the bond you make (whether) it’s family or a stranger. (That’s) because these people are no longer capable of doing things for themselves and this affects them emotionally. In my own opinion it takes a lot of compassion to take care of someone else… period.

Since my family chooses not to acknowledge what I did for my grandmother, I hope someone out there will know what it was like to give up a part of yourself for someone else. Through my story, one can only hope when we get to the age or illness (when) we need care, someone like me will be around to lend a helping hand. God willing.

I feel so much empathy and compassion for this dear lady. I feel blessed to know her. So…today, my readers and followers, I am bringing you two additional items below that are designed to help you decide whether to be a caregiver or not… OR whether to enlist the services of a professional caregiver. These resources are 1) the Florence Nightingale Pledge and 2) The Caregiver’s Guide, a publication that I put together myself. Access both of them below and share at will. Let’s keep the conversation going!

1) The Florence Nightingale Pledge

This modified “Hippocratic Oath” was composed in 1893 by Mrs. Lystra E. Gretter and a Committee for the Farrand Training School for Nurses, Detroit, Michigan. It was called the Florence Nightingale Pledge as a token of esteem for the founder of modern nursing.

I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.

Please, before you click on the link here for this last resource, The Caregiver’s Guide, I would appreciate it if you could leave a comment about this post now. Maybe you could talk about how your life and health have been influenced by either giving care to someone else in need (e.g. a family member, friend, or employer) or how a caregiver affected your life because you were the one in need of help, attention, and ultimately, love.

Sending you all my best today. May we all receive the help that we need “one day”… when we need it. Don’t forget to leave a comment. Thanks so much… .

Cinda Crawford

Your host of the Health Matters Show