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Like I Actually Care! How Sarcasm Can Hurt Others

There was a recent series of comments circulating across social media networks that professed to the fact that people who are sarcastic tend to be more intelligent than those who are not. While the scientific research behind this may be lacking, it’s important to note that for the elderly caregiver, it doesn’t matter whether you believe that you were highly intelligent or not, sarcasm really has no place when providing home care.

Caregivers near Coconut Creek, FL: Remember to Speak positively at all times

There was a recent series of comments circulating across social media networks that professed to the fact that people who are sarcastic tend to be more intelligent than those who are not. While the scientific research behind this may be lacking, it’s important to note that for the elderly caregiver, it doesn’t matter whether you believe that you were highly intelligent or not, sarcasm really has no place when providing home care.Caregivers Coconut Creek FL

Sarcasm is a passive aggressive form of communication. It is usually meant to help the person being sarcastic feel better about themselves or to put another person down in a very underhanded way. When you think about it, you begin to realize that sarcasm is really nothing more than an attempt to belittle others so that you feel better about yourself.

That certainly sounds a lot like bullying. In modern society, there is a lot of attention being paid to bullying and the people who bully other individuals. While most of the attention in the media is focused on children bullying others, it doesn’t and just because somebody graduates from high school. Even people who were bullied in their youth can have a tendency to become bullies as adults. We’re not going to get into the psychological constructs of the situation, but we will just mention that even the most timid appearing individual may have a tendency to develop a sarcastic defense mechanism.

Sarcasm can help a person feel more powerful, especially when they have felt like victim for most of their life. Over time, the sarcastic tendencies can become habit-forming.

For the individual providing home care for an elderly person, that sarcasm may have developed into not only a comfortable behavior, but it can also be a coping mechanism for that individual when faced with uncomfortable situations.

If you are a caregiver for an elderly individual, regardless of whether you are taking care of a family member or complete stranger, be aware of it. Avoid using it whenever you are working with the patient. It may be a family member who is highly aware of your tendencies to be sarcastic, but that isn’t going to reduce the impact of what you say to them.

Sarcasm can hurt the individual. It can cause them to have lower self-esteem and question the things that they do or their own abilities.

As a caregiver, it is your responsibility to help them feel better about themselves and to keep a more positive attitude. Sarcasm interferes with these goals so hold back and speak positively at all times if possible.

If you or a family member in Boca Raton, are in need of caregiving services to help relieve caregiver stress, call the caring professionals at Star Multi Care today (631) 423-6689. Providing Service in Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Delray Beach, Coconut Creek, Taramac, Margate, and surrounding Florida cities.

Stephen Sternbach

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