Hello everyone, I just joined the forum. I am no longer a caregiver but I do know what it's like to be one.. I was what is now called a caregiving youth. My siblings and I took care of our very sick mother. I did it from the ages of 5-17 upon when she died. Then my father got sick and we took care of him along with our stepmother until he died when I was 23.
Most caregiver resources are for people taking care of elderly parents who are adults. But! Imagine you are a youth who not only has to navigate the challenges of childhood but also have to navigate the feelings and responsibilities of an adult caregiver. That was me and my siblings. As people are getting sicker and sicker at an early age, I'm on a mission to either create or help create resources for children and young caregivers (under 40) to have the resources they need in order to navigate the feelings and other obligations they have in addition to caring for a loved one.
I want to read about the problems caregivers have and I want to help them. I have been through this and I know the struggles many go through: the depression, heartache, the tiredness, the conflicting of feelings, etc. I want to help YOU to take care of yourself mentally so that you can be in a better position to take care of your loved one!
Please feel free to reach out to me if you want to talk or if there are things that you think should be available for you.