"The reality of family caregiving is that you must pay attention to two lives --- your own as well as your loved one's." Gail Sheehy.
Gail Sheehy recommends having a family meeting to address the needs of caregiving someone with a chronic and progressive illness, so that every family member can determine what skills they have and how they can help with the caregiving. It would be optimal if all families would share information and share the burden of caregiving, but let us be realistic that many do not. With Dwane's family all living distant from us, I cannot count on their hands-on help and support. So, instead, I have built a circle of support here. That circle includes: a spiritual director and life coach who listen to me and support me, an attorney who can answers questions about eldercare, a financial advisor to help with money decisions, a CPA to help with tax decisions, a helpful longterm care insurance agent, a group of women friends with whom I can water color and express my creativity, a son-in-law who helps with respite care, numerous friends and family members who reach out to us with love and support. Is your circle of supporters meeting your needs? If not, who else can you add?
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