Caregiver Guilt: How to Stop Feeling Guilty About Elderly Parents

Photo credit Baptista ime James
...Get used to it—the guilt, I mean. The incessant phone call thing was just one of the many games I had to play as a dementia caregiver. When my mother would ring the first time, I’d answer, chat, and see how she was doing. The second time, I’d gently try to let her know that she had just called. The third time, well, sometimes it just seemed better for me to ignore it. I knew she would be embarrassed (or think I was lying, depending on the day) if I told her she’d called me three times in the last 15 minutes. It seemed kinder to just not answer the phone and let her forget that she called. It is so hard to see our parents get older. As they become more physically and/or cognitively challenged, it’s only natural to wish we could take away their struggles. We can offer love...
Continue reading on Agingcare for more about why we need to guard against those feelings of unearned guilt:

Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. "For anyone having to walk the last segments of life with a loved one, read this.” …Delores

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Source: Minding Our Elders - November 28, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs