Last time, we talked about helping your declining parent regain stability in their lives – even though they were declining in physical or cognitive health. In this edition, we are discussing how to regain stability for you – the adult child caregiver. Whether you are providing care personally OR whether you are a remote caregiver and are providing assistance from a distance. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and find yourself facing burnout.
Susan’s Story of Facing Burnout
Consider the story of Susan. Susan was unknowingly facing burnout and it was starting to show. Susan has always stopped by Mom’s house on her way to work just to visit, grab a cup of coffee and sometimes even have breakfast. Recently she noticed several things in Mom’s refrigerator that had been there for a while and at the same time staples such as bread, milk, and eggs were not there. She didn’t think much about this at first and simply made a note to pick those things up for Mom on her way home.
There was more. Susan’s Mom had always been meticulous about her appearance and the appearance of her home, and that was begging to slip as well. There were stretches of time when Mom would not wash dishes for days. If Susan didn’t do it, I wouldn’t be done. Susan also began to notice other changes in Mom’s routine, such as her wearing the same clothes for days on end and not tending to her personal hygiene. None of that was like her Mom at all. Susan began to be concerned.
Realization of Incremental Change
Because of creeping concerns, Susan had recently bought a copy of the Mom Centered Family Meeting book and after reading Chapter 13 on Family Assessments and the Realization of Incremental Change, came her own realization that things were changing for Mom. She recognized Mom was not in the same cognitive state she had been in only a few months earlier. Now she was trying to decide on her next steps.
Stay tuned for our next edition where we will discuss some steps that Susan decided to take at different stages of her Mom’s decline. Susan’s proactive decisions greatly helped to win the battle as she was facing burnout.
Best wishes to you in your efforts facing burnout. We hope you find balance in your time between helping a declining parent and preserving your time for the benefit of you and your family.
We want to be friends!
Ok. That might come off a little fast, considering we barely know each other. However, we fully understand the stress and turmoil that you are facing as Family Caregiver – including personal experiences with burnout.
In our time as caregivers, we have amassed a wealth of knowledge that we desire to pass on. Likewise, we have met many professional caregivers, as well as other family members who were thrust as Family Caregiver. All caregivers have shared the same advice – Join a community!
We have since created Caregiver Connection. Caregiver Connection is a newsletter that we write personally and send to fellow Caregivers. It is full of tips, tricks, and even professional advice. If you would like to sign up, click the button below.
Please Invite Someone to Our Newsletter
Being an Adult Kid who is helping mom as she is declining can be a scary, frustrating and lonely place lacking stability. You feel like you are solely responsible for solving Mom’s problems while managing yours. Some occasional input and a community to plug into would help, especially when facing burnout! This is a way that all of us can be working together as caregivers!
Many others that you may personally know are having to figure it all out by themselves. Most of them have no community. Please take a minute and do them a favor. Copy this link – help.mom/cc – and send it to them in an email or private message. They can click on it and subscribe to our newsletter for free.
Then they can enjoy weekly tips and encouragement. They no longer have to feel so alone in their family caregiver journey. They will appreciate the favor! Thank you for thinking of them!
Thank You for being a Caregiver for Your Loved One – you are making a huge difference in their life!
If you are facing burnout, be one of the first ones to receive information on our newly recorded Stability Without Stress course. For more information, go to stabilitywithoutstress.com to sign up for early access information.
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