I became a caregiver to my mother who was diagnosed with colon cancer the summer after I graduated from high school. It was devastating, isolating, overwhelming and even embarrassing at times to have a sick parent when all of my peer’s parents were healthy and thriving.
A new year can be a time to reflect. How did the previous year work for me, my family, my community, the world? What could I change to bring more light into the coming year?
Our holiday tradition always included making gingerbread houses.
My husband, Don, and I would invite over a couple of our grandchildren, and we would build houses and gobble sweets. Really, the grandkids and I would sneak bites, while Don would tease us about it.
Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate family connections.
However, for caregivers, family relationships can be complicated.
Sometimes, resentment may arise when one or two family members take on most of the caregiving duties.
Caregiving can be scary—not in the way a Halloween horror flick provokes fear—but instead the way real life does.
Caregiving often involves loss and perhaps some unexpected changes. For me, it was my husband’s stroke that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Starting with that moment, fear became something that we both had to address.
When I was my husband’s caregiver, I wish I could have more easily connected with others experiencing similar issues. Now, many resources to find support groups exist, and the benefits to the members are immense. Here is a story of one such group; some names have been changed for privacy reasons.
As the summer comes to a close and the school year revs up, one category of caregivers faces unique challenges: Caregivers with Children. Are you a caregiver sandwich? Caring for both an ailing parent and your children puts you smack in the middle!
Vacations and caregiving may not seem like natural partners, but they can be.
Almost everyone needs an occasional break from their every day lives, and for caregivers and their loved ones, these breaks can be of vital importance to both mental and emotional health.
Even while stuck waiting in the hospital or sitting isolated at home, a book provides a simple way to transport you to another place and provide nurturance for your soul. Reading to your loved ones also may be just the salve they need. In the busy world of cell phone apps and ever-present electronic media, sometimes books can be forgotten, but they can be sustaining in so many ways. They can nurture your health, help alleviate depression, reduce stress, improve memory, and enhance empathy, according to research. And they’re a fun escape into another world or perhaps a new way of thinking.
The last thing anyone wants to do when planning a vacation is anticipate a medical emergency. Whether you’re in a faraway land or in your very own back yard, some planning can save your life and help those caring for you. Most of us realize that being a patient can happen when we least expect it. Hardly anyone focuses on the “other side of the coin.” One can become a caregiver overnight too!