Question
Dear Miss:

I am a 32 year-old female and I have been a care-giver for many years. recently a very nice ladie called me to be her care-giver. she is a parapalegic from a car accident and she has to be in a wheel chair. she has some use of her arms and a bit of her hands. she has some internal feeling but no external. My job will be to care for her at night.( put her pajamas on, do a urine cath., do another cath at 2 a.m. and then get her up the next morning and do another cath. get her breakfast and give her a subpository. Then the day girl takes over.) I would like to take care of her physical needs but I would like as much info. you can give me on the care of a parapalegic both physical and emotional.
Thankyou
Kelly

Answer
Kelly,
Basically, you are being told what is you are physically going to be doing to help this woman.  I have been asked this question so many times and the only answer I can give is to treat the person as you would want to be treated.  Treat her with kindness, compassion, and dignity.  Many people who are disabled are embarassed by extra special treatment.  The main thing to remember is that this person has a heart and she does not want it broken.  Treat her as a friend, she may not have that many.  It is very hard to keep your friends, when you don't get about that well.

I hope this helps.
Coleen

PS.  I tried to answer sooner but the AllExperts server must have been down, because it would not send my letter backe to you.