An interview with Dr. Nancy Snyderman was published in Today’s Caregiver. (I couldn’t find a date on the interview.) Dr. Snyderman is asked her advice for family caregivers when dealing with the healthcare system and partnering with physicians in particular.
See:
www.caregiver.com/articles/interviews/nancy_snyderman_interview.htm
This is a nice quotation of Dr. Snyderman’s:
“To me, caregiving is about quality of life as much as it is about length of life. And it is about letting the person who is being cared for have a piece of the decision-making when possible. Life with dignity and death with dignity are two things that we do not talk enough about.”
The interviewer asks Dr. Snyderman what is the one most important piece of advice you would share with a caregiver? Her reply:
“I know that you are probably overwhelmed with all kinds of decisions. But I want you to know that as part of this process, be in the moment as much as you can. You are going to remember things that today may seem minute. But they are going to come back and be some of the greatest gifts in your life. And the other thing I would say is that you will find that as a caregiver, you take care of everyone on the planet and you are on the back burner; that is not sustainable. Taking care of yourself is not selfish. It is self-preservational. Find the time to do that. You will have more to give in the end.”
The interviewer also asks: “What do you advise family caregivers when dealing with the healthcare system?” Dr. Snyderman says:
“I think this is particularly true for women. The good manners that our mothers taught us that help us in social situations and open up doors and allow you to have a lovely conversation at a dinner party–those same manners do not serve you well when you are advocating for someone who needs help. I have witnessed it firsthand. I have been that pit bull. I have relied on people to be that pit bull for me. But the reality is the system is complex. It is intimidating. It is labyrinthine. And whether you are the caregiver or the person who is being cared for, it is just downright complicated.”
In the interview, Dr. Snyderman refers to a for-profit business she started, CarePlanners.com. This company provides services to family caregivers.
Robin