"I have the right: To maintain facets of my own life that do not include the person I care for, just as I would if he or she were healthy." Jo Horne's Caregiver's Bill of Rights
This is a good one for me to remember. Before the dementia, Dwane and I led very different professional lives. I put aside my psychological practice, to a large degree, to provide care for him. Before the dementia, I went to workshops, conferences, and to see my own children - on my own. I must not let him make me feel guilty (number 5 of the Bill of Rights) for doing so now. I have a right to my own life. My only real responsibility to Dwane is to see that he is safe and has the best quality of life possible under the circumstances.
Today I fully reclaim my right to my own life -- separate from being a caregiver.
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