Caring for Elders

Lately, I've heard more and more friends talking about caring for either their parents' or grandparents'. The most common scenario is that typically females are the ones that add this task to their list of responsibilities which is another obstacle in our taking necessary time to care for ourselves. Unfortunately, self care is usually already in deficit status.

I know when my mother was hospitalized the final time with Alzheimer's, Husband and I had been going along at a pretty good clip with our eating. We had both lost substantial weight but late nights at the hospital, no time for meal prep, emotional eating, and barely having time to shower or sleep put an end to our healthy lifestyle that time. I don't know about you, but when I am stressed I self medicate with comfort food; Especially when my mother was concerned. My mom defined the saying "food is love". Sitting with mom in the hospital, I found myself craving her meatloaf, SOS, chili, chocolate chip cookies, and all the things that mom made so special. To this day, long after her passing, I find since I gave up smoking cigarettes in 1997, when stressed, my intermediate, knee-jerk response is to go to familiar comfort foods.

Within my clientele, I have a new acquaintance that is caring for both parents'. She is an only child and has had a life long struggle with weight. Like most of us, she has had her periods of "mainstream BABE DOM", but has again put weight loss, working out and health on hold to care for her parents'. Recently she began working out and is raving about how much less stress she has and how quickly she felt better; Not just physically but emotionally as well. We all know this don't we?

If not now, in the future you can bet we will all have to deal with being caretakers. While reading the March issue of Woman's Day, I ran across the article entitled " Stop Caregiver Burnout". I will provide you with some links that just may open the door for you to seek respite care or just offer you someone to talk with that can become part of YOUR support system. You may view the article in its' entirety at the aforementioned link.

Eldercare Locator: eldercare.gov 800-677-1116
Family Caregiver Alliance: National Center for Caregiving: caregiver.org
Leading Age: leadingage.org
Lotsa Helping Hands: lotsahelpinghands.com
SNAP for Seniors: snapforseniors.com
Visiting Nurse Associations of America: vnaa.org

For some time now, as our lives have changed and we have taken on more and more responsibility, we have begun to suffer from health conditions that were once attributed primarily to males. Heart Attacks, Stroke etc. Remember, what makes us unique as women, and the one support system women use more often than men, is sharing our burdens with friends, sisters, and moms. I'm not short on friends, but don't have sisters or a mother so I find myself having a greater appreciation of my female friendships. You girls that allow me to vent so I can go home and be a better woman, wife and mom help keep me healthy. Please don't underestimate the value of this. Sharing is a valuable component of being a woman. We cry, we confide, whine, complain, support and move on. Healthy venting is normal and a very useful tool. It gives us common ground so we don't feel isolated or like you are the only one with your particular woes. Access to this resource alone is the single most important purpose of this blog. Feel free to use our blog to reach out to others' that may be living in the solution, maybe your solution.

Who cares for the Caregiver? You do!

Until Next Time, CT