At 27 years old, I got first hand experience in what family caregivers go through. I heeded the call to help my father recover after intensive surgery. It was scary. I was unsure of what to do. The medical team assigned to help my dad provided us with only the most basic generic advice. I learned more about what to do on YouTube than from the hospital!
The emotional strength it took to care for my dad changed my perspective entirely. I am extremely grateful for my father and he has been a tremendous influence in my life. He instilled the importance of respect, especially for your elders and yourself, the importance of passing down traditions, and the importance of leaving a legacy for the future. It is my deepest hope that I can preserve and rejuvenate some of the traditional values of compassion, understanding, patience, hope, and togetherness. I wish to inspire other caregivers to ask questions, do the research and seek support – not just from their doctors (who don’t have all the answers) but also from other family caregivers and professional care experts.
While advances in medicine and health care have had a major impact on our well-being as a population, families continue to struggle with how to best help their loved ones recover from injury or illness, deal with a chronic condition or adapt to physical limitations of aging. There's no doubt that the caregiver’s road can be rough; the caregiver’s journey is a true test of character. But with a little bit of guidance and resilience, each of us has the power to be present for our loved ones while retaining control of our own lives.
We are altruistic advocates here to show you the way.
Alaina
Connecticut