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Caregivers often forget about themselves.

11/4/2013

2 Comments

 
Senior Sage helping you help others
I’m sure you’ve been on a plane. At the start of the flight, before you’ve even gotten on the runway, the flight attendants give you the spiel that tells you what to do if there is a change in cabin pressure and oxygen is needed. They tell you that if you are traveling with someone else that needs help, you first put the oxygen mask on yourself, and then on the person you are assisting. 

This is not how a caregiver thinks or acts. A caregiver is so accustomed to taking care of their husband, wife, mother, father, or kids first that they completely forget about taking care of themselves. 

I’ve been there. I had a full time job, a husband, 3 kids, 2 dogs and an incredibly jam-packed life when my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. For a year or so I was able to keep up the pace of adding extra time into my day to stop by my mom’s house to help her. I navigated a system that was foreign to me and not at all easy to understand. 

Obtaining Veterans Administration (VA) benefits, finding the right doctor, getting medical supplies, researching home care providers, assisted living facilities, and the overwhelming list goes on. Even after she moved into an assisted living facility the calls for help didn’t stop. I decided to quit my job and truly support my mom. Through helping my mom, I found my passion is helping seniors and their families. When my mom started having more health issues we turned to hospice. Having a full compliment of support organizations has allowed me to go back to being the “daughter” once again and not the caregiver. 



This is what I want to do for you…let you be the son, daughter or loved one who can put the oxygen on yourself first and then others. I know you’re wrestling with the tough choices you are facing. Let me be the “oxygen” you need to breath easy again. Let me help you by thoroughly investigating all your options. Let me put the systems in place that will help support your loved ones while allowing you to breathe a sigh of relief that you’re making the right decisions.



Debbie Carroll
Founder
The Senior Sage

2 Comments
caryl link
11/17/2013 11:09:09 pm

Debbie, a beautifully written piece; thank you. I have worked with seniors for many years myself. In addition, I am a laughter yoga leader, teaching people the benefits of a healthy sustained laughter practice 'for no reason' meaning laughing with each other and not 'at' each other. Laughter, mediation and breathing provide everyone; caregivers, seniors, and truly people of all ages, to relax, to de-stress, to clear their minds and then be able to move forward in their day. I have also worked with dementia patients; while their participation may be different, they contribute and STAY at the activity; no wandering. Amazing. Bringing laughter to caregivers helps them remember that they must take care of themselves first so they have the wearwithal to then take care of those that need them. Thank you again for a great analogy. I will be sure to 'put my mask on first' before helping others.

Reply
Debbie Carroll
1/18/2014 02:11:52 pm

:) Caryl, thank you for sharing how important laughter is to ALL of us!

Reply



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    Debbie Carroll is the Founder of The Senior Sage and knows first hand what it's like to be a caregiver.


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