Caregiver Training Blog

And I thought my life was complicated while raising four kids, working, and going to school!  Caring for an aging parent offers a totally different kind of reality especially if the one you are caring for is not accustomed to having someone else do the caring!

You see it everywhere “Keep Calm and Carry On” and like most modern day phenomenon, this simple statement  has found its’ way to becoming world famous, having been mentioned in news articles, television as well as trivialized on t-shirts and coffee mugs among numerous other items.

Every year during the month of November we commemorate a variety of very solemn and sometimes even bizarre days; everything from Veteran’s Day to Book Lovers and Sandwich Day and of course all the way to Thanksgiving Day.   Each of these days took some effort to be added to the list and means something special to a particular group of people.  One exceptional group that sometimes gets lost in the shuffle is the caregiver – especially caregivers of older adults.  Beginning in 1994, family caregivers were first recognized during National Family Caregivers Week, but it was President Clinton who was the first to honor caregivers as a month-long celebration, signing the first proclamation declaring November National Family Caregivers Month.  Every year since, the American President in office has declared November a month to recognize the challenges, struggles, and tremendous sacrifice millions of family caregivers provide every day.

"Some people complain because God put thorns on roses, while others praise Him for putting roses among thorns." (Anonymous)

I remember so clearly the day I asked my sister if she could stay with our 88 year old mom for just a few hours while I ran some errands and just took some time for a much needed breather.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my sister and we have a great relationship, but her response to me that day, “Well, what do you want me to do with her?” almost put me over the edge!  Not wanting it to become a family crisis, I offered some suggestions and didn’t look back, at least not until I could compose myself. 

“Objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear" was a message that became widely recognized after an iconic scene in the movie Jurassic Park.   When the passengers in a high-flying jeep were trying to make their escape from the T-Rex chasing them, these words took on a different meaning and the need for a more dramatic and immediate response.