Jodie A. is from California, and was one of forty finalists chosen out of the over 1,000 entries to our “What Advice Would You Give to a Fellow Caregiver?” Contest. You can find our grand prize and runner up winners here.
What advice would you give a fellow caregiver?
You are enough. Your thoughts, your feelings, whatever they are, they are okay. Your life is yours and only yours. Do what you need to do for you and your family. Don’t feel guilty when you say no to going out to dinner with friends because you are just too exhausted and had rather stay home on your couch with a glass of wine. Don’t apologize because your house is messy. That time you spent with your daughter binge watching a silly sci-fi series was what you both needed and what she will remember when she is older, the time with you, not that your house was a mess.
Other people do not understand the constant stress you are under and may not support the choices you make. They try and are well meaning, but they don’t. And you do not need them to. You do not have to try to explain your life unless you want to. Find the little things that you can do for yourself. Take a mental health day from work and wander through antique shops. When your husband gets home from work, go to your bedroom and read a book. What better way to escape? When the children are in bed, take a bath in candlelight. Crank up the music, sing and dance. Find a hobby or a cause that brings you joy.
Ask for help and be specific. If someone offers support, accept their help. And, of course, take any opportunity you have to get away, even if only for the evening. You need to recharge. If you burn out, who will care for your loved one? Know that you are doing the best you can right now, no guilt, no apologies.
Click here to head to the contest home page and read more advice.
Finalists were selected by the Marketing Team at Shield HealthCare. Those finalists were submitted to a panel of independent judges who picked three grand prize winners and five runners up. The judges included: Sandra Mitchell, Award-winning KCAL 9 news anchor and breast cancer survivor, and the Landers family: actor and comedian David Landers (“Laverne & Shirley”) who is living with MS, his wife Kathy and his daughter Natalie (“The Middle”). Click here to learn more.
