In our caregiver support group we often talk about our caregiving experience as a journey.<\/p>\n
Some days, you\u2019re slogging through some pretty deep muck. You feel like you\u2019re battling to get anything done. You feel like you\u2019re doing nothing but battling with \u2014 or for \u2014 your loved one.<\/p>\n
Some days, you\u2019re hiking up a steep hill in shale. It takes every bit of effort you have to move a few steps forward \u2014 and then you slide almost all the way back to your starting point. The saying, \u201cThree steps forward and two back\u201d feels like positive thinking.<\/p>\n
Then there are those rare days when the sun breaks through the clouds and you feel blessed and so very privileged to be able to care for someone you love.<\/p>\n
In our group, we listen to other people\u2019s stories. We reassure them (\u201cNo, you\u2019re not crazy!\u201d) and we reassure ourselves (\u201cAt least I don\u2019t have to deal with THAT!\u201d).<\/p>\n
If we\u2019re lucky, we find a lot to laugh about, from one caregiver\u2019s story about her mom, (\u201cSo then she said\u2026\u201d) to another\u2019s joke (\u201cYou know you\u2019re crazy when\u2026\u201d).<\/p>\n
By the end of the evening, we\u2019re all glad we came. We\u2019re relieved that we could share our challenges, and listen to others. We feel a little glow inside as we realize that we\u2019re not alone on this treacherous journey through uncharted land.<\/p>\n
I hear from families who can\u2019t get to the support groups. Often, they\u2019re the ones that could use the support and encouragement the most. They have no one to give them a little break; to stay with the person in their care so they can get out and get refreshed.<\/p>\n
When it comes to caregiving, like so many of life\u2019s most challenging tasks, it does, indeed, take a village. Don\u2019t go it alone. Find a support group in your local community and check it out. It just might be the prescription that saves your sanity!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In our caregiver support group we often talk about our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":163,"featured_media":224,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[203],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n