Caregivers Need Care Too
The Founder's Story
Five years ago, when my 70-year-old mom retired from her full-time career, I started noticing odd changes in her physical and mental health. Unexplained weight loss, memory problems, mood swings, and speech issues to say the least. After three long years of medical visits, Google searches, and endless unanswered questions, my family and I finally understood what was going on. But we certainly didn’t feel assured by the answers.
It turns out that my mom suffers from a condition called primary progressive aphasia, a neurological disorder in the brain that affects communication, namely speech. This diagnosis also led us to discover that she has early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Looking back on the past five years, everything makes sense to me now. Everything except for the fact that I’m in my early 30s, I have yet to get married and start my own family, my career is just beginning, and somehow on top of all of this, I am now a family caregiver for an ailing parent.
I’ve been referred to as many things - “a young caregiver”, “a millennial caregiver”, “the sandwich generation,” - you name it. But being given these titles hasn’t helped me feel any less alone. I am burned out, I am fatigued by grief and the unknown, and I am seeking help. What do I want exactly? I want to connect with others who can relate, I want to learn from their experiences, and I want to heal with them.
I stumbled upon a few online support groups, but many were for the older generation. I struggled to find my younger caregiving crew. I know y’all are out there! And I’m not just referring to those who support the elderly - there are millions of us who also take care of ill, injured, and/or disabled children, siblings, significant others, and/or friends.
What unique needs do we have, you may ask? Well, let’s just start with the fact that we’re either juggling school, work, parenting, or all three. Some of us are only teenagers. Many of us are finding it hard to find love or maintain a healthy relationship with our partner. And most of us struggle to understand or afford health care.
That’s why I decided to launch The Caregiving Crew. Each week, I plan to feature the latest on how to take care of not only your loved ones but yourselves as young caregivers. You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with others in our crew, learn about their experiences, and share your own.
As expressed by someone we all know who overcame tremendous obstacles to her health with the aid of her caregivers and inspired millions of others to do the same:
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” - Helen Keller