2006 "Give a Caregiver a Break” RUNNER-UP
"Caregiving Is Often Frustrating, But Extremely Rewarding
I have been lucky enough for the last several years to care for my dad with my brother. Six months after our mom died of breast cancer in 1996, when my brother was a freshman in high school and I was a senior, our dad was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Fortunately, it was caught early and has not returned since. Two years later, Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
He was in the very early stages at that time. Since then, he has progressed slowly to the point where he now cannot be left alone. This has forced my now–25-year-old brother and me, now 28, to grow up a little differently than others. However, with each other’s help and the help of many others, we both have graduated college, gotten married and continue to care daily for our dad.
It helps considerably that Dad is extremely appreciative of everything we do for him. He’s always thanking us and telling us how lucky he is to have us.
We also have been lucky to have the help of our local Alzheimer’s Association. We attended their caregiver’s series and then became involved in speaking for them about what it is like to be a caregiver. We enjoy being involved in their Memory Walks, and my brother has written articles for their newsletter. We even were able to speak at a national forum last year in Washington, DC. It was an honor to be able to share our story with so many people while at the same time meeting other people going through the same daily struggles.
Caregiving is often frustrating, but it also is extremely rewarding. We have learned so much from taking care of Dad, patience being what comes to mind first. My brother and I have also been able to help co-workers and friends find out ways they can get help for their older family members.
We are very open regarding what we are dealing with and find it surprising how many people are quietly dealing with similar situations. I think we both get that from our mom, who openly fought her battle with breast cancer for ten years before pink ribbons were found everywhere you look.
We enjoy keeping Dad home with us and are comforted by knowing that when things get to be too difficult there will be a company like Home Instead to whom we can turn.
—Megan Swearingen, Washington, IL