NOTE: This blog post contains graphic descriptions of medical conditions and procedures. It is written with express permission from the person whose situation is described.
I have been a caregiver on and off for almost 24 years and have watched over three different people. It’s a big word ‘caregiver’ because it encompasses so may different circumstances of care. For one thing, I am referred to as a ‘Family Caregiver’ as opposed to professional caregivers like aides and nurses. But as Merriam-Webster defines it, we are “a person who provides direct care (as for children, elderly people, or the chronically ill).” The differences between those three groups of people are where the details of caregiving gets complicated.
I recently attended a 4-hour caregiver training, my first in all of these years as a member of a group of fellow caregivers. What a boost to be among people who really understand. The last hour was supposed to be about caregiver self-care but they ran short- how typical. Most of the people in that training were older parents of adult children with developmentally disabilities. Some were younger parents of minor children with physical disabilities. And then there was me. We all care for people with different conditions and face different challenges, but share the same risks: isolation, burnout, lack of professional resources, financial strain, and lack of personal support.
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