SHARING THE SPRING/SUMMER 2024
gift gift of life
GIFT OF LIFE TRANSPLANT HOUSE A HOME THAT HELPS AND HEALS
The Transformative Power of Caregivers Everyone who has stayed at Gift of Life Transplant House has heard the words – “You must have a caregiver to stay here”. Our insistence on that policy is focused on the patient – the patient needs support to look after all the details and challenges of recovery. But it isn’t just the patient facing a host of challenges - the role of caregiver brings a unique set of challenges as well. From navigating the bewildering buildings that make up the Mayo complex to remembering the various policies at Gift of Life Transplant House to offering assistance to a person who is sometimes less than happy about needing help, caregiving can be exhausting, stressful
By Mary Wilder
and thankless. Combine that with an individual who views himself as illsuited to being a caregiver and a recipe for discouragement and frustration is started. According to the National Center of Biotechnology Information, caregivers report prominent feelings of distress, uncertainty, loneliness, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and financial worry. One day while waiting for the elevator with a caregiver, Jerry Reitmeier walked by on the way to his room! Jerry is one of our guests and he loves to visit! Jerry is one of those immediately likable people