Caregiving: Wheel Chairs, Handicap Parking, Baby Monitors

The first week Gladys was here, I spent time learning routine care giver’s tasks: how to assemble and disassemble her wheel chair, how handicap parking works and why those lined spaces are next to the handicap parking space. I also developed a love-hate relationship with baby monitors.

Most of the time Gladys uses a walker, but when we go to the store or to church, she uses a wheel chair. In addition to learning to assemble, disassemble and lift the chair into the trunk of the car, I had to learn how to help Gladys into and out of the wheel chair; and how to transfer her from the wheel chair and into the car. It’s not difficult, but it takes time and patience.

I used to look at handicap parking spaces and wonder why those extra lined spaces were next to the parking space. I thought they just took up extra space that could accommodate another car. Now I understand that the extra space is there to accommodate a wheel chair or walker. Who knew, obviously, I didn’t.

The baby monitor is a whole different story. It doesn’t have anything to do with anyone else but me. Our house does not have an intercom system, so we use a baby monitor to make sure Gladys is ok. That’s where the love-hate relationship comes in. I love it because I sleep on the third floor of our townhouse and Gladys sleeps on the first floor. With the baby monitor I can tell what’s going on downstairs.

However, I can also hear a fly that is hovering over the baby monitor, Gladys snoring, the tv that was left on and everything else. Until I was able to differentiate the sounds, I was running up and down the stairs all night long. That’s where the hate part came in. But I’m learning and it’s all good.

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