Living as Christians for the week of November 23-29, 2026

Let Us Help Caregivers Not to Give Up

How can family members put this into practice when caring for their loved ones?

Proverbs 20:18 — By consultation, plans will succeed, And by skillful direction wage your war.

Comment 1: The family needs to talk about how to organize the care. Instead of assuming that someone will take care of everything, it is good to clarify what needs to be done and what each person can contribute. This communication helps them prepare a realistic plan.

Philippians 2:4 — as you look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Comment 2: It is not enough to think about our own responsibilities. We must also keep in mind the needs of the sick family member and the caregiver. Perhaps we can adjust something in our routine so that the caregiver does not have to carry the entire load.

Comment 3: One very practical thing would be to divide up specific tasks. The video mentions food, medication, and financial support. Talking about these responsibilities allows each family member to see where he or she can help, instead of letting everything always fall on the same person.

Comment 4: Listening to the caregiver is essential. We may not realize from the outside how difficult each task is for that person. If we ask what he or she needs and allow the person to explain, we will be able to offer more useful help.

Comment 5: I am struck by the fact that one sister asks her sister for help when she is very tired. The family can make this communication easier, allowing the caregiver to feel free to acknowledge her limits and ask for a break without feeling ashamed.

Comment 6: When organizing care, it is good to include time for the caregiver to rest and care for his or her spirituality. It is not just a matter of meeting the sick person’s needs. The caregiver also needs to preserve his or her strength and relationship with Jehovah in order to continue fulfilling that responsibility.

Comment 7: We could offer something specific, such as taking care of a meal or spending some time with the loved one. That way, the caregiver knows what help is available and can organize his or her time better.

Comment 8: The family also needs to recognize when it cannot handle everything. One caregiver explains that sometimes the help from those close to her is not enough. Speaking honestly about the situation makes it possible to seek support instead of continuing to accumulate exhaustion without others knowing.

What does being a caregiver involve?

Comment 1: It involves meeting very specific needs every day. One sister prepares her mother’s meals and makes sure that she takes her medication. These are responsibilities that require time, attention, and consistency.

Comment 2: In some cases, the caregiver also has to provide financially for the family. The sister whose mother has Alzheimer’s explains that she fulfills both roles. This helps us understand that her burden does not end with personal care, since she must also meet financial needs.

Comment 3: Sometimes activities that require little preparation for us take them a long time. The father in the video says that it takes him between two and three hours to get himself and his daughter ready for the meetings or the ministry. A great deal of effort goes into being able to attend.

Comment 4: Being a caregiver can produce a tiredness that does not go away easily. One sister says that although she arrives exhausted at night, sometimes she cannot fall asleep. It is not simply a matter of being busy during the day.

Comment 5: The strain is emotional too. One caregiver explains that frustration can cause her to lose patience and then judge herself very harshly. Knowing this helps us treat caregivers with understanding, without assuming that tiredness means they lack love.

Comment 6: The burden can become even heavier when there is no one to share it with. The brother explains that after his wife died, caring for his daughter became more difficult. In addition to caring for her, he had to move forward without the support he had previously received from his wife.

Comment 7: In the case of the mother with Alzheimer’s, her daughter also works hard to help her with her memory. This shows that caregiving is not limited to preparing food or meeting physical needs; it may require attention adapted to the loved one’s particular difficulties.

Comment 8: I think it is important to remember the two things highlighted in the Workbook: caring for a loved one is an honor, but it is not easy. Appreciating that privilege does not eliminate exhaustion. We can recognize the caregiver’s love and, at the same time, take his or her needs very seriously.

How can caregivers take care of themselves?

Comment 1: They need to accept that their own health matters too. One sister acknowledges that caregivers often put themselves last. Caring for oneself does not mean abandoning the loved one, but rather trying to maintain balance.

Comment 2: Personal study has an important place. The brother says that he usually does it at night, when the house is quiet and he no longer has to care for his daughter. He looks for a time that fits his circumstances so that he can care for his relationship with Jehovah.

Comment 3: One caregiver talks about having a regular bedtime and stopping the use of electronic devices before going to sleep. These are simple measures, but she recognizes that they can be forgotten when one is caring for someone else. It is good to give rest a place in one’s routine.

Comment 4: The brother tries to walk to have a little more strength. His example shows that caring for one’s health can include a simple activity, adapted to what each person is able to do.

Comment 5: Asking for help is an important part of caring for oneself. One sister explains that when she is very tired, she turns to her sister to care for their mother. Recognizing that we need relief allows others to help and gives us time to regain our strength.

Comment 6: Not all free time has to be devoted to other obligations. The caregiver mentions that she also tries to have some recreation when she receives help. A break that includes something enjoyable can be part of the physical and emotional balance she considers so necessary in order to continue caregiving.

Comment 7: Having a close friend makes it possible to express feelings that may have been building up. The father in the video appreciates being able to say that he feels like crying or that he feels overwhelmed. He does not need to pretend that he is always fine; he can talk with someone he trusts.

Comment 8: I am helped by thinking about the brother’s change in attitude when he asked for support. At first he was embarrassed, but later he understood that he was preventing himself from receiving help from Jehovah through others. Accepting the cooperation of the brothers is nothing to be ashamed of.

What can the congregation do to help caregivers?

Philippians 2:4 — as you look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Comment 1: We can show interest not only in the person receiving care but also in the one providing it. Asking how the caregiver is doing and what he or she needs helps us keep that person’s circumstances in mind, in addition to our own.

Comment 2: The brothers can offer specific relief. When they go out in the ministry, some take care of accompanying the brother’s daughter so that he can rest. They do not merely say that they understand; they do something that allows him to lighten his load.

Comment 3: A bag of sweet bread meant a great deal to one caregiver. What moved her was not only the food but also that a sister had thought of them and had devoted time and resources. A simple gesture can communicate a great deal of love when it springs from sincere concern.

Comment 4: We can be friends who know how to listen. The brother appreciates having someone with whom he can talk about his feelings. Sometimes a very necessary form of help is giving him room to express himself confidently.

Comment 5: Showing affection to the person receiving care also comforts the caregiver. The father notices how much the brothers love his daughter. By treating her affectionately and including her in activities, they make her feel that the congregation loves her.

Comment 6: It is good to take the initiative, because some people find it difficult to ask for help. The sister who brought the bread did not wait to be asked. She remembered them and acted. We too can think of a specific gesture, always respecting the family’s needs and circumstances.

Comment 7: Let us remember that there is work we do not see. Knowing that a brother takes hours to get ready with his daughter to go out should move us to appreciate his effort and ask ourselves how we can make things easier for him.

Comment 8: Not all of us will be able to offer the same kind of help. The video shows different ways to provide support: giving someone a break, bringing something to eat, or listening as a close friend. Each one can think about what is within his or her reach and turn concern into useful action.

How does Jehovah help caregivers not to give up?

Comment 1: Jehovah comforts them through the Scriptures. The father in the video explains that he receives this comfort and then passes it on to his daughter. What he receives from Jehovah also helps him to continue supporting her.

Comment 2: One very concrete way that Jehovah helps them is through the brothers. When the brothers offer relief or show sincere interest in them, caregivers receive relief and comfort. In this way, the congregation’s love can help them continue with an exhausting responsibility.

Comment 3: I am touched that the brother says that he now shares the load with Jehovah. Although he no longer has his wife to care for their daughter together, he does not feel completely alone. He recognizes Jehovah’s help in finding balance and caring for both of them.

Comment 4: Jehovah knows what others fail to see. One caregiver emphasizes that he knows what is in her heart. This confidence is very valuable to her when she faces especially difficult situations.

Comment 5: Support can come through gestures that may seem small. The sister who received the sweet bread saw in that gift time, resources, and concern. The Workbook explains that Jehovah helps through the congregation, and this example shows how much comfort a simple expression of love can convey.

Comment 6: Jehovah can help them through a close friend who listens to them. The brother says that he needs to express what he feels when his thoughts overwhelm him. Having someone he trusts does not eliminate his responsibilities, but it does allow him to receive support while he continues caring for his daughter.

Comment 7: The father came to view the help he received as blessings from Jehovah. That is why he stopped allowing embarrassment to prevent him from asking for support. His experience shows the importance of being willing to accept the love and cooperation that Jehovah offers through the brothers.

Comment 8: One caregiver recalls that she has received help time and again during critical situations. Looking back and recognizing how Jehovah has sustained her strengthens her trust in him. Her experience does not mean that caregiving is easy, but it does show that she has valuable support.