Take a step back from caregiving from time to time. You want to move beyond mere survival. You deserve to thrive and even find the joy with your loved one during this journey of care.
How?
Take time to care for yourself. Self-care is integral to your healthy longevity as a caregiver.
Caregiving is rewarding work and there are times when expectations are unfilled. This is life.
Last year, I went on a first-time adventure to the southern tip of Mexico. Merida was my favorite. I felt the energy at Chichen Itza, listed as one of the world's modern wonders. And the cenotes were certainly a new experience! (Read last year's
The Caregiver's Voice opening letter.)
While I enjoy immersing myself in new experiences and different cultural traditions, the unexpected did occur. I caught COVID for the second time after visiting the northern state of Jalisco. Change of plans. I returned to the U.S. cutting short my vacation by a third.
Self-care is key to health and happiness.
I will try something different later this year. After waiting patiently for three years (due to COVID-interrupted travel), I am heading to Italy. I've watched enough of those romantic comedies set in the beautiful scenic countryside of Tuscany. It's time to experience it firsthand. But first, a stop in Milan to attend
The Marriage of Figaro at the world-famous Teatro alla Scala.
If you live in Italy or have family in Milan, Tuscany, or Rome,
send me an email. My plan is to spontaneously experience Italy via its people, food, sites, and countryside.
YESSSS!
Brenda Avadian, MA
This is our final monthly edition. We will continue to publish these curated article excerpts, periodically. For now, you'll find two guides—one for driving with dementia and the other, Medicare benefits for long-term care. Dementia Alliance International shares a short article on one’s life journey with dementia. Alzheimer’s Disease International has a fireside chat about vaccines for dementia. We close with two excerpts about AI and Robots.
The Caregiver's Voice is using the occasion of our 25th Anniversary to make a change. We will put into practice the paradox, "less is more." In a world demanding your attention 24/7, starting this month, we ask for you to direct your attention less often to our articles and more to self-care. Bet you've never seen an offer like that before!
Caregiver self-care begins with respite doing whatever we choose. Whether a few hours or days, taking time to care for ourselves helps build strength. When we're stronger we're able to find the joy and laugh at caregiver humor such as my mistaken-identity encounter with my father's doctor.
