Can They Or Won't They?

Can They Or Won't They?

From: A MINUTE FOR CAREGIVERS - When Every Day Feels Like Monday

“If only my mother would . . .”

Substitute the word “mother” with father, child, spouse, etc. That phrase rises to one of the most common laments uttered by family caregivers around the globe.

Is the undesired behavior intentional?

Caregivers admit that determining if a loved one “can’t do something” and “won’t do something” often remains a gray area.

How gray is that area? Charcoal gray.

Regardless, “can’t or won’t” still leaves caregivers with the challenge of accepting reality versus what we desire. Recognizing the powerlessness to change an

impairment or a willful behavior remains a bitter pill for caregivers to swallow. Although counter-intuitive, the path through this frustration comes not from achieving a desired change in our loved ones but rather a change in ourselves. When our peace of mind remains attached to someone else’s actions, we become hostages to their conduct. Yet our freedom remains exclusively in our own hands—and hearts.

Even if their poor behavior results in unpleasant consequences for our loved ones (and sometimes us), we are not required to be miserable while caring for them.

I don’t look for bliss, just contentment.

—Alison Krauss

Click to get this book today!

#Caregivers

#caregiving

要查看或添加评论,请登录

Peter Rosenberger的更多文章

  • Major Patience for Major Medical Companies

    Major Patience for Major Medical Companies

    From: A MINUTE FOR CAREGIVERS - When Every Day Feels Like Monday Dear Peter: Where does one find the patience to deal…

  • The Weight of Forgiveness

    The Weight of Forgiveness

    FROM: "A MINUTE FOR CAREGIVERS - When Every Day Feels like Monday." Words matter.

  • "But I Didn't Do Anything!"

    "But I Didn't Do Anything!"

    From" A Minute For Caregivers - When Every Day Feels Like Monday." Decades ago, as my wife recovered from one of her…

  • What Will They Think?

    What Will They Think?

    From: A MINUTE FOR CAREGIVERS- When Every Day Feels Like Monday How often have we, as caregivers, second-guessed our…

  • A Timely Word

    A Timely Word

    From: "A MINUTE FOR CAREGIVERS - When Every Day Feels Like Monday" A MINUTE FOR CAREGIVERS- When Every Day Feels Like…

    1 条评论
  • Respecting the Trauma

    Respecting the Trauma

    Let’s face it; many people don’t know what to say when encountering someone struggling with divorce, broken…

    2 条评论
  • The Promise

    The Promise

    From: A MINUTE FOR CAREGIVERS - When Every Day Feels Like Monday Many caregivers struggle with decades-old promises to…

  • Finding Humor in Dark Places

    Finding Humor in Dark Places

    In an interview with AARP some years back, they mentioned so many people serving as caregivers don’t necessarily see…

    2 条评论
  • A Goal To Cure, A Passion To Care

    A Goal To Cure, A Passion To Care

    Reflecting on the 35th Anniversary of Identifying HIV Following three terrifying years since first learning about a…

  • Here's Your Sign ...

    Here's Your Sign ...

    Do we need to change the sign for those with disabilities? Tennessee seeks to mirror New York and Connecticut in…

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了