Caring for a sick family member can be tolling, even causing caregivers to sometimes become sicker than those they are caring for. According to the American Journal of Nursing (2008), “Caregiving has all the features of a chronic stress experience.” We’re in a generation where life expectancy has increased and medical advancements have moved forward at a rapid rate. Although these two facts are positive in and of themselves, when combined, this translates to people living longer but in an unhealthy state.

Dialysis, for instance, can potentially add 5-10 years to a person’s life span. However, this also means the individual is visiting a dialysis center 2-3 days a week and exhausted from the procedure, leading to poor quality of life in their last years. This also means someone is likely at home with this person and caring for their daily needs. Most times, that person is a loved one who is witnessing the agonizing decline of a parent, partner, sibling or other loved one.

This can be particularly difficult for those who have no idea how to navigate their roles as caregivers. Most people are muddling through each day trying to figure it out, often feeling overwhelmed and isolated. Those who have a medical background are blessed in these circumstances but even then, there is the emotional stress – anxiety, depression, exhaustion, feelings of grief and loss – of caring for someone you hold dear. So how to go about this thing called caregiving?

Thankfully, resources are available, and knowledge from those who have been through the trials and successes of caregiving is priceless. One such book, which is listed on http://www.caring.com’s list of best books for caregiving in 2017 is Role Reversal, written by Iris Waichler. The book focuses specifically on the process of caring for parents while also attending to self-care.

 

For free information on caregiving, visit the author’s Facebook page. Details about Role Reversal can be found at www.iriswaichler.

 

Feel free to contact me for additional resources and support:

 

 

Photo Credit: http://www.iriswaichler.com