Perils of the "only child".
We "only children" have it much harder as
our parents age. There are no brothers and
sisters to turn to for emotional support.
There is nobody to take turns in being
the caregiver. It can be lonely. And it can
be difficult.
The only ones who truly understand are
the caregivers in the same situation.
This is why it is absolutely essential to
research the support assistance available
to you in your community!
It's been proven that chronic stress of
caregivers is known to shorten our life-span.
With me, I always thought my heart would
give out. The running joke with Mom was
that she'd outlive me because I was always
on alert.
If she so much as bumped her rollator into
the couch, my heart lurched and palpitated.
A constant flood of adrenaline is not good!
I didn't know how hard it was on the heart
until she passed away. (thankfully, she was
able to live with me until the end) I miss Mom.
But, I don't miss the adrenaline surges!
As an only child, please look into respite services,
home-care support, anything your community
offers to assist you in elder care. They truly are
a life-saver!
Check with your doctor, your hospital, the phone
directory, anything...Don't stop until you have
help lined up.
It will save you from caregiver burnout and
possibly add years to your life!
Click Here! if you'd like to learn more about
getting information from eldercare experts.
Warmest thoughts,
Karen
