Are you a caregiver with tips to share? Have you lived through enough challenges of caregiving to help fellow caregivers bypass avoidable struggles? Has your caregiving path been paved with enough JOYS to help fellow caregivers and their loved one’s smile?
Sadness Strikes with Significant Loss
The Caregiver’s Voice regularly features articles by guest authors. Years ago, a caregiver who served both as a family caregiver and professional and I discussed partnering. A caregiver for her son, she also provided care for families who needed help or respite. Beautifully heartfelt articles came out of her experiences that our readers found immensely helpful. We discussed her having her own channel on The Caregiver’s Voice website. She was excited. Sadly, after working more double shifts than one human can endure, her last drive proved fatal after she fell asleep at the wheel.
Heartbroken by this devastating loss, I’ve only reconsidered partnering in recent years. The caregiver or team will inject new ideas and approaches to the longest (likely) continuously run independent website for caregivers for people with dementia.
Early Years of The Caregiver’s Voice
In 1996, I began as a family caregiver for my father diagnosed with dementia and later, Alzheimer’s. Like many caregivers thrust into an unknown realm, I didn’t know what I was doing. I learned quickly for the sake of my father, our sanity, and even moments of happiness. As the author of four books by that time, a former professor, and a speaker, fellow caregivers urged me to share my tips on caregiving. I learned much from them and shared their tips with their blessings. My family caregiver role expanded to advocate and spokesperson for caregivers and people with dementia. Five more books, including two best-selling titles followed.
We can choose to sport pouty faces or throw our arms up and say, “What the hey! Let’s make it fun!”
This isn’t to say, all caregiving is fun. Far from it. We, who have walked this road, have lived through hair-pulling, teeth-gritting, shaky moments. After an all-to-brief period of calm, when we think we’ve finally got it all together, something happens. We spiral out of control. Once again, those gut-wrenching and dizzying moments knock us off our feet. More sleepless nights. For some, the burden proves fatal. For others, like me, moments of caregiver dementia. Fortunately, it’s the one type of dementia that’s reversible.
If you’re reading this saying, YEAH, this describes me! Read on.
Websites for Caregivers for People with Dementia — Gone!
Many caregiving and dementia-related websites have come and gone since the late 1990s. The Caregiver’s Voice is likely the only remaining independently run site for the past 27 years. Over the years, I’ve seen enough caregivers trying to reinvent the wheel. Starting from Square One, they lament they couldn’t find information. The Caregiver’s Voice is offering a Square Three opportunity for caregivers with a message to share! (Square Four—Your vision for the future.)
Since 1996, I’ve devoted my life to supporting people with dementia, and helmed The Caregiver’s Voice since 1998. In this transitional time of AI, I try to keep it real. Original hand-crafted articles. Yet, a partnership of shared ideas will undoubtedly transform The Caregiver’s Voice.
YOU May be the Future Voice for Caregivers
I want to hear from you if you are action-oriented. Many of us can talk a good story; but only those who take the initiative will be given the opportunity to move from Square Three to FOUR. If you want to explore the possibilities…
Please Contact Me with two brief paragraphs:
ONE: Who are you? Who (current/former family/professional caregiver) do you care for (parent, friend, client; preferably for a person with dementia)?
TWO: Share one TIP for fellow caregivers to survive, thrive, and even find the joy? Why this tip?
There are no right or wrong answers. As an author of nine books and thousands of articles, I’ve learned to trust what first comes to mind. You are unique. Share what first comes to mind. When you second-guess yourself, your words lose authenticity. My inquiry is purposefully open-ended. This means if you want to ask, “What does Brenda mean by…?” DON’T. You have unique experiences and ways of seeing caregiving. Again, there are no right or wrong answers. The only answer that counts is yours.
Personal Perspectives
On a personal note—
“Friends often remind me, ‘You’re almost retired. Stop working so much. It’s time for you to enjoy.’ Their words repeat in my mind like a mantra. Being raised in a work, Work, WORK family, I need to heed their advice” and prepare to pass along an established legacy that supports family caregivers and professionals who care for people with dementia.
My inspiration—
The 2 Mental Shifts Highly Successful People Make by Benjamin Hardy, PhD for Medium. The power of choice and individual responsibility. The second, more important shift that few people make is the power of… synergy. We cannot do it alone.
