Learn how to stay upbeat when times are tough
Hi ,
Last Friday seems so long ago! We have a lot of new stuff for you this week. I put together a silly Valentine's Day post, while Adrienne shared more serious thoughts on the holiday. Mika joined us as a guest author and shared a beautiful story about her parents' love.
Harriet brought up a topic many of us would prefer to ignore - the end of caregiving. Bob shared the second half of his story about his wife's deathbed religious experience as well as what he's learned about grief.
Loneliness is a big issue, so we've been thinking about combatting it. Of course, my favorite suggestion is to hop on the forums and befriend another caregiver. Maybe you can bond over ridiculous self-care suggestions or Allie's realistic suggestions.
In the meantime, Brittany shared some insights into how a shift in perspective might help us through the tough days. Harriet's instructions for making a happiness jar were wildly popular this week. Everyone's been reading Kelly's article about training your brain to be more positive.
Some of us fell into our caregiving roles gradually, while others became caregivers in an instant. Ken shares his story of becoming a caregiver when his son was born. Jeanie, who cares for a son with TBI, was featured in this week's caregiver profile. Kristen shared how she's learned to manage something many of us struggle with - caregiver guilt. If you'd like to talk about guilt, join us in the chatroom on Monday nights at 8pm EST.
If you're a professional caregiver looking for job opportunities, Kayla has some tips for you. Brenda wrote up the highlights of a report about family caregivers.
I've been busy making sure the new website is running correctly and bringing on a whole bunch of new authors. All the posts and comments that were missing have been restored and Facebook login is now working. Please let me know if you've been having any trouble with the site and I'll see what I can do to get it sorted out.
The new site is designed to make it easier to connect with other caregivers. By creating a free account, you can now easily see the responses you get on the forums, keep track of your friends on the site, see the latest activity (by registered members), and privately message and chat with other members.
Of course, you don't need an account to use the site. If you have an account and you'd like to post anonymously, you can simply post while you're logged out.
Have a great weekend,
In an instant my wife and I became caregivers of a special needs infant - no experience required!
ken Rupert | 13 february 2015
I tried to prepare for the moment my husband came home from the hospital and I became his sole caregiver, but nothing prepares you for how all-consuming caregiving can be.
kristen Sachs | 10 february 2015
When we can't change our lives, we have to change the way we look at it. This is one way I stay optimistic and appreciate what I have.
harriet hodgson | 7 february 2015
If you could declare an international holiday for caregivers, how would you want to celebrate it?
Please share your response on the forums.