While all caregiving has its commonalities, being a young caregiver definitely has its own unique challenges. Being thrust into a caregiver role at a younger age, when my mom at the age of 57 had a debilitating stroke, I was faced with all the “common” caregiver challenges but at a time in my life when it was least expected and with absolutely no warning. I immediately left my career, my home, my friends to move back home (2,000 miles away) to do everything that was humanly and sometimes inhumanly possible to help my mom. I did this on instinct, and most people will say “well you do what you have to and I would do the same”; but as any caregiver knows this simple isn’t true. Not everyone would do this. And really I don’t think you know what you will do until you are faced with it. I myself had no idea how I would handle a sitation like this until it happened to me. Being a caregiver, especially at a young age, is a huge sacrifice. I don’t regret it, but sometimes I can’t help but feel that I am missing out on some of the best years of my life. (more…)
Caregiver Support Blog 