Benjamin is a cute little fellow who seems to have grasped a very important concept. Personal experience has proven this concept to be difficult for many adults. Here is the concept. The work load is made easier when it is shared. Now that sounds like something we all know, but it certainly is NOT something we all practice.
Benjamin takes his Daddy on a walk every afternoon. His Daddy doesn’t seem to be able to pull the wagon with Benjamin in it, so-being the caring individual he is-Benjamin gets out of the wagon and helps his Daddy by pushing the wagon on down the road. Two people working together to make the tasks easier.
As a caregiver for my mother, who has mid-stage Alzheimer’s, I can assure you that having assistance with her needs is most appreciated. People think that the only person suffering is the person affected by the disorder, but what they don’t seem to realize is that being a primary caregiver can be extremely exhausting as well. Granted, you could find multiple caregiver resources to help caregivers do the best that they can, but even they are expected to get tired from time to time. It is a concept some family members don’t comprehend (and my family is no exception, unfortunately), but it is a concept that must be grasped. The primary caregiver needs a break. We need to know what it feels like to have someone helping us “push the wagon” when the hills get high. Going it alone is depressing. Make sure you are offering care and relief for those in your life who are caregivers.
Hope that gives you Something to Ponder.
- Dementia and Really Old Beauty - October 19, 2021
- Carol Howell Talks Dementia: Take Me Home! - October 5, 2020
- Carol Howell Talks Dementia: Get Me Out of Here! - November 3, 2018
