The Blesssings of Being a Caregiver
Sounds crazy, doesn't it? Blessings... of being a caregiver?
Yet, believe it or not, there are certain blessings to this 24/7, emotionally-wrenching job. You just have to be open to them. And to recognize them when they occur.
But, first, you have to grieve. Because you can't accept what is until you've allowed yourself to grieve for your loved one. You can't come to the stage of acceptance until you pass the stage of grief.
When you come to the stage of acceptance, you'll allow yourself to open up to some of the small joys you couldn't see before.
The process of grieving, really, consists of a chain of emotions, each one flowing into the next...
Shock at the initial diagnosis, and disbelief.
Emotional Reaction - You'll yell, scream, lose your temper.
Anxiety crops up almost immediately, as you start to worry about the future.
Anger at your loved one for getting sick. At the doctor. Even at God.
Guilt for feeling this emotions.
The beginning of healing often starts with reflecting upon better days.
Acceptance finally comes when you're able to let go of the previous emotions.
Keep in mind, though, that acceptance doesn't mean the total end of grief; you'll still feel it at times. And that's OK. Eventually, you'll come back to acceptance.
Then, you can begin to enjoy being with your loved one again. When you can deal with the reality that your time together may be growing short, you treasure every minute of your time together, and you realize how precious it is.
When you're a caregiver to a loved one with Alzheimer's or dementia, your life can seem like one series of questions after another. But we can help.
To gain free online access to the Complete Alzheimer's Resource Kit, which contains care tips as well as other useful information on Alzheimer’s disease, please visit www.BostonMemoryLawyer.com.
At the Estate Planning & Asset Protection Law Center, we help people and their families learn how to protect their home, spouse, life-savings, and legacy for their loved ones. We provide clients with a unique educational and counseling approach so they understand where opportunities exist to eliminate problems now as they implement plans for a protected future.
We encourage you to attend one of our free educational workshops, call 800-964-4295 and register to learn more about what you can do to enhance the security of your spouse, home, life savings and legacy.
