A post I wrote last month apparently hit a nerve in the caregiver community, so I thought I’d address the gist of these comments. It was about asking for help at holiday gatherings. As a caregiver who became used to doing it all, I stopped asking others for help. Why...
My introduction to caregiving was completely unexpected. My ten-year-old son and I were shopping when my phone rang. The words I heard changed everything, “Mom’s in the hospital. You have to get here right away.” Since my dad’s health had been questionable for years,...
When we talk about elderly folks and volunteer work, we’re likely referring to work performed by volunteers for or with the elderly—visits to assisted living facilities to bring puppies or create art projects. Amazing programs, certainly, but ones that don’t address a...
Looking back on my career as a caregiver, I marvel at the number of levels of care (and a subsequent level of stress) I had to maneuver through, remembering how at every level I’d say to myself, “I can’t take this stress much longer.” The first level was “The...