CAREGIVERS MATTER

Being a non-professional caregiver is an extremely difficult job.  It carries with it tiresome challenges, moments of deep loneliness, desperation, frustration, fear, anxiety, enlightenment and even joy.  Caregiving is a personal journey that can be difficult or impossible to talk about.  Many times caregivers ask themselves “What about Me?” but are reluctant to utter those words aloud to anyone else.

We have both been caregivers and fully understand the importance of what lies beneath the surface of this role.  Emotions and feeling that touch each of us personally are similar, albeit under different circumstances.  Through our own experiences, we came to understand this and more:

1. •Reaching out to others for help is difficult and often not possible
   

2. •Emotions such as guilt and resentment are often present, yet we judge ourselves unfairly if we allow these feelings into our own hearts
   

3. •Anything we experience or feel in providing this role is normal and common, even if we don’t allow ourselves to believe it
   

4. •Hope and enlightenment DO exist in being a caregiver
   

5. •Most importantly, the journey IS the reward
   

Over the last several months caregivers have generously contributed their stories, comments, experiences and personal journeys.  By providing them with an outline to follow we were soon able to receive wonderful information which we now share with our readers in eight different chapters.  We know you will find support, comfort and good advice from caregivers who have shared their experiences for this website in order to help others.  This website, instead of our original plan for a book, provides a wealth of information freely accessible to everyone who needs it.

We thank each and every contributor to this website as well as all those who encouraged us to pursue this important project.