Purpose
To allow caregivers to rest, meet their own needs, or take a temporary break from caregiving responsibilities by sharing care duties with trusted people in their support network.
What need does it address?
- Preventing caregiver burnout
- Reducing the concentration of care responsibilities on a single person
- Creating time for rest, social connection, and personal activities
- Encouraging family members, friends, and communities to share responsibility for care
- Making visible that care is a collective responsibility rather than an individual burden
How can it be practiced?
1. Identify people who can share care responsibilities.
You can create a small care network made up of family members, friends, neighbors, or other trusted people.
It can be helpful to discuss in advance who may be available to provide support in different situations.
2. Plan care shifts ahead of time.
Care support does not need to happen only during emergencies. It can also be scheduled regularly.
For example:
- One evening each week
- One weekend each month
- During medical appointments
- Whenever the primary caregiver needs time to rest or attend to personal matters
3. Share care routines and essential information.
The person taking over care responsibilities can be given the information they need beforehand.
For example:
- Daily routines
- Medication schedules
- Food preferences
- Important contact information
- Steps to follow in an emergency
4. Support the caregiver’s time for rest.
The purpose of a care shift exchange is not only to ensure that care continues, but also to create genuine time for the caregiver.
This time can be used to rest, go for a walk, meet friends, pursue personal interests, or simply do nothing at all.
5. Reflect on the experience together.
Afterward, a short conversation can help everyone share their experience and discuss any adjustments that may be helpful in the future.
Things to consider
- Care support should always be voluntary.
- The needs and preferences of the person receiving care should remain the priority.
- No one should take on caregiving responsibilities they do not feel prepared for.
- Care responsibilities should not circulate among the same small group of people indefinitely.
- Rest is not a privilege for caregivers—it is a basic need.
The Ihtimam Perspective
Ihtimam Rituals offer practical ways to strengthen care relationships in everyday life. However, lasting solutions to the invisibilization of care require changes not only in daily practices, but also in organizations, policies, and systems.
For more structural approaches, explore the Care Policy Recommendations Tool:
Shared by
This ritual was shared by one of İhtimam’s Co-Nurturers.
Ihtimam Rituals is a living collection of care practices developed by individuals, communities, and organizations in their everyday lives. You can contribute to this collective archive by sharing a ritual that strengthens care relationships in your own daily life.