Life as a Caregiver
Listen to fellow caregivers talk about their day-to-day experiences and discover ways that may help you adapt your routine.
What About Me?
Caregivers share the assorted ways they find time to relax and recharge
Transcript:
Claudia, Caregiver for Mother, 12 Years, Texas:
You have to cordon out a little bit of space and a little bit of time to refresh and take care of yourself so that you can take care of him better, in a more positive way, because you'll just burn out. You'll absolutely burn out.
Laura, Caregiver for Mother, 8 Years, California:
When your children start buying you gift cards for massages and they start saying you have seven days to make an appointment, you know that what you’re doing is affecting them.
Joey, Caregiver for Husband, 12 Years, California:
I am selfish, I still have time for myself and my own activities and my whole life is not taking care of John, maybe it should be but that’s not the way I look at it and that’s probably from my background. Not that I don’t care, I care, I just care tremendously, but I can’t let his disease be part of me, my personality.
Caregiving stress can lead to burnout if left unchecked. Finding time to rest and relax is a necessity.
Alice, Caregiver for Sister, 1 Year, Pennsylvania:
I don't answer the phone, I don't turn on the TV. It's when I come home and I sit in my chair and I just relax. I close my eyes for a few minutes and just quiet, complete quiet. Then for the next 30 minutes, I'm ready.
Dalel, Caregiver for Husband, 5 Years, California:
But now that Luis is taken care of… It’s like “Huh, I’m here,” I’m by myself, what am I suppose to do? Kids are going to college so I’m on my own pretty much all day so one thing at a time, one hour at a time has helped me a lot.
Joey, Caregiver for Husband, 12 Years, California:
One of my concerns is how about my health you know, I’m old too, what’s going to happen, if something happens to me, what would happen to John. That’s always in the back of my mind.
In an Alzheimer’s Association poll, 75% of Alzheimer’s caregivers said they were concerned about maintaining their own health since becoming a caregiver.
Eunie, Caregiver for Husband, 9 Years, California:
My world is pretty small and keeps drawing in more and more, used to do a lot more things than I do now, so I am trying to, I do volunteer one day a week.
Learn to take time for yourself.
BACK TO CAREGIVER VIDEO RESOURCE CENTER
CAREGIVER TIP SHEET
CAREGIVER SURVEY RESULTS