Dear Bill,
Thank you for sharing this reality. I am relatively new as a caregiver for my husband with MCI, diagnosed early this past summer. We are pretty much joined at the hip 24/7. We are still working at our small business, with me frequently helping him to stay on track, which is becoming more and more difficult and exhausting. On the home side of things I am constantly “finding” misplaced items, trying to deflect the angry outbursts that come my way as I try to explain why something isn’t a good idea (frequently because he wants to buy things we don’t need), taking care of the finances, meal prep and household chores.
I try to steal time away for myself by rising very early to read, exercise, and plan for the day ahead. I did check into the program, “Powerful Tools for Caregivers” (PTC), but find it impossible to attend the sessions. I have ordered the companion “Caregiver Helpbook”, which can be obtained via the PTC folks or by ordering via Thriftbooks.com at a reduced rate. I also ordered “The 36-Hour Day: AFamily Guide to caring for people with AD, MCI, etc. Both of these suggestions were given on this blog. I’m just trying to prepare myself for our future without burning out completely.
I am trying to remain positive and am hoping this stage will remain steady for a few years but I am also aware that this is wishful thinking. I feel that I have found “my people” by reading this blog, as I can relate to the frustrations that are shared. I also feel a wee bit empowered by your honest observations and others who have suggested helpful approaches to caregiving. God bless each of you and know that you are helping others by contributing to this blog.