Struggling Caregivers, The Reward They Say Doesn't Have to Wait

You choose to be a family caregiver?

You kinda have to choose to be a family caregiver.

But I’m saying today, this is one way to keep a relationship with the family member it feels like you’re losing, even if you blame them for childhood woes like me as an adult son, or even if you blame them for ignoring you years on end like you may feel as a spousal caregiver.

Not everyone’s got daddy, mommy, hubby issues like I’m describing.

In a way, I’m trying to point out a trend at society level to “Superficialize” what is rewarding about caregiving for a family member.

I am duly jealous of those family caregivers who describe the final stage caregiving with smiles. I’v read versions of “My Mom/Dad kept a smile on her face despite the challenges of the disease. Each time I walked into the room, she greeted me with a smile until that final day.”

What is rewarding about caregiving?

Here are my half-glass empty key takeaways:

1. Not all aging family members appreciate the family caregivers, so the reward of caregiving doesn’t necessarily come from recognition
2. Too few people realize the reward of family caregiving while the family member cared for is alive. You don’t have to wait until the tremendous burdon is ended. You can spend quality time with an unpleasant aging family member even if you don’t like them.

The reward of caregiving is what you make of it when you make it, whether or not the choice to assume the role of family caregiver is yours to make.