Christian Pure

Prayers for Caregivers: Strength, Patience and Rest for Those Who Care for the Sick

Christian Pure Team

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Summary

  • Short prayers for caregivers cover the start of the day, lost patience, a loved one with dementia who no longer recognizes them, lifting, long nights, guilt about resting, resentment, loneliness, money and hard medical decisions.
  • Prayers for others cover a friend caring for a spouse, a family sharing the care, and nurses, aides and care-home staff; two more cover a move to a care home and the time after a death.
  • Two family prayers from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer are quoted, “For Guidance” and a prayer at night to God “the strength of those who labour.”
  • Scripture’s caregivers include Ruth with Naomi, the disciple who took Jesus’ mother “unto his own home,” and the Good Samaritan; Jethro warned Moses, “thou art not able to perform it thyself alone” (Exodus 18:18).
  • St. Camillus de Lellis, a nurse who founded an order to care for the sick, was named co-patron of nurses by Pope Pius XI in 1930.
  • In the US, the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) connects families with local services; 988 and Samaritans (116 123) answer anyone in crisis.

For anyone caring for a sick or aging parent, a spouse or a child, this prayer fits the start of a day: “Lord, you know how much [name] needs from me, and how little I have left. Give me strength for today and patience for the hard moments. Let [name] feel your care through mine. Amen.” If you are close to breaking, say so to someone. In the US, the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116, call or text) connects older adults and…

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Bibliography (Click to show)
  • Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (1611), text of Project Gutenberg eBook no. 10 (Exodus 18:18; Ruth 1:16; Psalm 127:2; Isaiah 40:29; 46:4; Matthew 25:40; Mark 6:31; Luke 10:34–35; John 19:27; Ephesians 4:32; Philippians 4:19; James 1:5). https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10
  • The Book of Common Prayer (Protestant Episcopal Church in the U.S.A.), Standard Book of 1928. Prayers, “In Time of Great Sickness and Mortality,” p. 45; Family Prayer, “At Night” and “For Guidance,” p. 595. PDF facsimile: https://www.artisticdailyprayers.org/uploads/3/0/1/6/30164961/bcp1928std.pdf
  • Campbell, Thomas. “St. Camillus de Lellis.” The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03217b.htm
  • Administration for Community Living. Eldercare Locator. https://eldercare.acl.gov/
  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. https://988lifeline.org/
  • Samaritans. “Contact a Samaritan.” https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

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