Lessons Learned from a Doctor Who Became a Caregiver
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Dr. Gerard Mullin, a gastroenterologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, served as the primary caregiver at different times for both of his parents. His father had a complication after surgery for a minor procedure and Dr. Mullin cared for him for nine months before he died. His mother never fully recovered after a complication from heart surgery, and Dr. Mullin cared for her for five years. As a
caregiver, Dr. Mullin was most surprised at the miscommunication and confusion he saw among providers and hospital staff. He observed all kinds of mistakes and felt like communication was poor among hospital staff and patients and their families in the hospital. As a caregiver, Dr. Mullin found that his own health suffered. “Caregivers do not realize what is happening to them physically, mentally or emotionally,” he says. “I think caregiver burnout is a silent killer.”
What We Can Learn from a Caregiver Who is Also a Doctor
In being caregivers themselves, Dr. Mullin and other doctors who are both medical professionals and caregivers have learned things they hope to share with others in caregiving roles. Their lessons can help others in caregiver roles to better communicate with doctors and manage their loved ones’ medical care. At the same time, their lessons emphasize how caregivers must make the time to care for themselves,
while caring for their loved ones. These are some tips from those in the medical field who are currently or have been caregivers for loved ones:
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