What do caregivers want to talk about?
Being a family caregiver touches every aspect of your life. So, when caregivers get together to talk, the questions go in every imaginable direction!
In one conversation we might talk about money because the cost of caregiving can be astounding! And, it can be hard to calculate when you consider the time a caregiver may spend looking after the needs of their loved-one. It isn’t just the hands-on care…
You have to consider the countless hours on the phone with insurance companies, home-medical supply companies or home-care agencies. There’s the time it takes to set up Mom’s medications or calendar-out Dad’s physical therapy visits. And, don’t forget the regular arguments that are predictably inconvenient when you’ve made the time to help your loved one shower and they’re “not interested” just now!
All that time accumulates to money – time away from your job, time away from your kids, time away from your life! So you begin to calculate what it might cost to have someone else do some of the work. And that means, you’re balancing what you spend on care against your earnings or, if your loved-one has money of their own, what you can afford to invest in care services vs. just doing it all yourself!
These are hard decisions. Especially now, with COVID-19. Do you want strangers (visiting caregivers) in your house (or your Mom’s house, or your Dad’s apartment, etc.) especially if they’ve been in 20 other houses this week alone? And what about consistency – will you get the same caregiver for each visit?
Generally, that answer is maybe – unless you’re both the customer and the employer, which adds to your administrative responsibilities.
There’s no one, right answer to all this confusion. Every caregiving situation is different. But, it helps to talk about it. It helps to learn that others are in similar situations, and to hear what they’ve tried. It is useful to discover what’s possible, where you might turn for assistance and who is a reliable source of help.
That’s what caregivers talk about when we get together – and that’s just ONE topic we might encounter.
What’s on your mind about caregiving?
We all need support, acknowledgement, and fresh ideas! Happy to have you join in. Each time we’ll pick a fresh topic, explore it briefly, entertain questions and concerns and help you see that you’re not alone it all this! And in every session, we’ll explore self-care because it is absolutely essential to YOUR well-being as a caregiver!
Join us for Caregiver Conversations – the first Sunday of every month at 2 pm, via Zoom. To contact me for a Zoom invitation, just message me with your email address!
