Care Giver~Maid~Housekeeper

I arrived at my care giving post. An inward fight took place with in me.

A dilemma was facing me. I stood there looking, not at the clean dishes but the many dishes after a week end of entertaining that had gone without washing since the last time I had been there. It appeared as if every dish, utensils, pots, pans, were sitting everywhere, some half filled with water and others left hardened with food morsels stuck in and around them as they piled up with in each other.

I stood there for a moment, stared at the pile in the sink.

I inwardly cried at what needed to be done. I wanted it to be done. I walked past them secretly wanting them to disappear with the wave of a wand.

The worst part of it all, it was not only the dishes but tackling the mold in the shower, and other heavy housework.

I ironed sheets, pillow cases, and clothing items. It was at that point, I felt more like a maid than a care giver.

Very little time was devoted to caring. So you can imagine what sort of conversation took place in my mind. House cleaning is not what I signed up for when I considered my profession. No disrespect to the maid or housekeeper industry either but when hiring a care giver are they really looking for daily maid service?

Without going into the many details of some of the chores I have had to do, the most rewarding times in care giving moments where taking un rushed walks, Dr. , or shopping, and generally doing things that directly impact the patient such as enhancing their lives with activities.

My heart was always in caregiving, however, the housekeeping business hourly rate is much higher than care giving. Just kidding but maybe I should have changed professions.

Fortunately, I have had a few positions where the family told me, that I was a caregiver first, and any housework would be light and in between care giving responsibilities.