Appreciation of Being a Caregiver

Issues of how best to care for them, anger at problems that crop up, as well as resentment against siblings and irritations even with your parents for their demands are things you will have to cope with.

You will also have the huge emotional strain of juggling a private life, work and home with the demands of care giving and when you do manage to get the balance just right, your parents' needs may change requiring you to make adjustments all over again.

The variety of demands on your schedule, energy and emotions are not easy to be reconciled to and it is true to say that it calls for a real adult for the fulfilling of the role of a caregiver for a senior person. With so many emotions like resentment, anger, anxiety and worry being roused in such a situation, one emotion should be cultivated to combat all the others, and that is thankfulness.

While this may seem like a strange suggestion, if you do make the effort to look for reasons to be thankful, this positive emotion will amazingly combat the host of negative ones that rage in your heart. On reflection you will find there are several reasons why you could be thankful in this role. Here are some:

This could be your way of thanking your parents for the sacrifices made over the years for you. The money, time, emotional energy they expended can hardly be repaid, but your caring of them is in effect telling them that you are grateful that they raised you and didn't quit on you and that in return you will not give up on them.

The fact that you are on hand to care for your parents is something to be thankful for. If you lived far away, you would be living with tension and anxiety wondering about their health.

An old person can have some false alarms from time to time. They need someone to reassure them at these times, and that would be you.

You become a very important part of your parent's existence and they feel they need you all the time. It is during this difficult time of life that that you could be of most support to them rather than at any other time in their lives.

Celebrate each other and be thankful for the laughter you can share in remembering good time, family incidents and jokes. These are precious memories you can keep with you when your parents pass on.

There is also a deep sense of satisfaction when we have been able to support someone we love right through a rough time. This time will strengthen bonds and make your love grow which is an experience that could never be erased.

You will have the peace of knowing that you have done right by your parents and made their last days peaceful and happy. This will make you thankful all your life.