Lenten Reflections #32
Caregiving is both a blessing and a challenge. Between my sisters and me, we manage our parents’ care. I’ve mentioned before that I live the furthest away, so I carry less of the load. Recently, I have been coming more on weekends to help out and have learned that just as I’m preparing to leave, I finally grasp the tips and tricks that make the day easier.
Things like:
- Be direct – Answer questions and don’t overexplain: the more complex the answer, the more confusion ensues.
- Give hope – Say yes to requests and ideas…if Mom thinks she’s going to recover the chairs in the kitchen, say YES, we can go to the fabric store.
- Stay calm – Calm begets calm
- Emphathize – Amid the moans and groans from aging and exhaustion from working outside, grab the heating pad, warm some tea, and use Aspercreme.
- Nourish – Never underestimate the power of Cheerios any time of day for Mom and a peanut butter sandwich for Dad.
- Go outside – Take a walk, sit in the shade, look up at the sky, and take notice.
- Laugh – Mom is amazing at laughing at herself, even if she puts her shirt on backwards or, this morning, her bra. She says, “You could write a story about this and call it Idiot’s Delight.”
- Let them – let them do as much as they can on their own. Independence is priceless.
- Love them – Remember you are still their child,d and they need your love even more than they need you to help put in their partials (teeth). Although both are very important.
- Listen – You’ve heard the stories a million times; let them tell it again.
What I learned:
I’m lucky to have my parents and my sisters, and I pray I have the same positivity as I grow older, even if I put my bra on backward someday.
Here’s to Another Good Day!
Thanks for joining me,
Lucretia
runonmom.com 