Attention all Caregivers!
Do you feel caregiving for your parent is a blessing some days, but a burden on others?
Do you have days when you cherish the time you spend with your Perennial, and have others when you feel resentful? Days when you just want this to be over?
These feelings are NORMAL.
And that guilt you experience for feeling all these things? Also normal.
Caregiving is an emotional rollercoaster.
The ups of holding your parent’s hand, feeling like this time is precious, knowing that what you are doing is valuable.
The downs of knowing the toll this is taking on your marriage, your job, your relationship with your children.
The twists and turns of figuring out how to navigate insurance, doctors’ offices, hospitals, and medications.
Wanting to scream, and cry, and swear through the ride.
In the end, there is no “right” way to feel. There will be good days, there will be bad days. There will be days when things go smoothly. There will be others when you doubt yourself, your decisions, and all of your abilities.
All of these feelings are normal.
In the end, any caregiver must recognize:
There is no “right” way to do this.
There is no “right” way to feel.
There are no “right” answers that apply to every family.
The important thing is that you do what is right for your family. Do all you can to provide the best care for your perennial and yourself.
Caregiving mixes love, stress, confusion, and happiness into each day. Never expect it to be easy. And don’t get down on yourself when the ride gets especially rough.
If your perennial needs more help than you can provide, do not hesitate to get help. And if you need a break from caregiving, something all caregivers need sometimes, take it.
Because the caregiving rollercoaster can also be a long ride.
If caregiving is making you want to scream, call Choice Connections of NC today for help!
