"I have the right: To seek help from others even though my loved one may object. I recognize the limits of my own endurance and strength." Jo Horne's Caregiver's Bill of Rights.
This is probably the area of greatest stress for me in caregiving: Dwane's resistance to having someone else come in so that I can have a break. In some ways I can understand it from his perspective, and yet, it seems so selfish of him to expect that I will be here. It puzzles me that he does not seem to acknowledge that I am not the one with dementia; that I have a right to a life of my own. Certainly, if our situations were reversed, I am fairly confident that he would not devote himself to my care.
So, I vow that I will have the breaks I need, while also providing for him the safety he needs. At least once a month I will have an overnight or two or three -- to get a break from this 24/7 stressful role of caregiving.
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