Schticks and Stones.

Last week, I shared a few of my least favorite phrases and asked for some of yours in return. Well, before the internet server crashes occurred across the eastern seaboard, due to the rush of your responses, we seemed to get the message that a nerve was touched. Your responses brought to life the power that words have to heal or harm. In the same way that loving and comforting words can bring much needed peace and serenity to those around us, thoughtlessly cruel words can bring suffering and pain at a time when we already have more than enough of those emotions to deal with in our lives.

In 1994, when we published our first writers guidelines for Today's Caregiver magazine and caregiver.com, we stated that we would not accept certain terms such as "victim", or that a person was "suffering with" a disease or illness. We also wanted our writers to think hard before using the term "patient" in an article. Many of those concepts are also reflected in your responses. Actually, it may surprise you that the word I have had the most problem with, as does one of our respondents, is "caregiver".

Responses

I am absolutely a believer in the idea that words DO matter...continued

"Caretaker" instead of "caregiver."..continued

Are you getting help?...continued

I so enjoy your newsletter every week, and this week's really hit a nerve!...continued

My problem is with the use of the word...continued

Thanks for the kvetch about parenting parents or role reversal...continued

Use of medical terms to identify someone…continued

One of the phrases I have trouble with is...continued

I find that people call stroke survivors stroke “victims”...continued

This is not a phrase, but I am bothered by the way people...continued

Wheelchair bound, He's (she's) a medi-lift. diabetic...continued

It might just be that I've been having a string of sleep impaired...continued

I'm pretty sure this isn't what you were after...continued

He or she, when Fred or Ethel are in the room...continued

By the way, we really do need to come up with some more creative phrases for "adult undergarments".  That always makes me think of knickers and I don't think anyone has used the word knickers since the turn of the last century.

Take care
Gary Barg
Editor-in-Chief
gary@caregiver.com
 

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I am a caregiver for a 66 year old lady. I was hired by her family, I am in a constant battle to get time for myself. I live with my lady and have seen improvements in her condition. I am the only one making sacrifices for my lady and have given up my life for her. Her family lives close by and her guardian has not one time taken care of her. Her sister is not capable of taking care of her needs. When she is at her sister's house, she sits and is not taken to the bathroom the whole time. I am away about 2 or 3 hours a week. I am on the brink of just packing up my things and leaving. The only reason I do not is because she will not respond like she does with me to anyone else, not even her family. In her way, she (my lady) shows appreciation. What am I to do? Answer This Week's CareNote: carenotes/2007/index.htm
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