Stories from Caregivers: Glynis from CALIFORNIA
CA
Glynis
FROM CALIFORNIA
My Aunt spent most of her life taking care of my Grandfather. She also had a full time job as a nurse and had a caregiver be there days. She put in evenings, weekends and holidays right to the very end. My Dad would take over for two weeks a year just so she could take a vacation and the whole family would go there (Wales) at Christmas to help out. My aunt had very little social life, and towards the end began organizing for Care Givers to join together to help each other out. After he had died, she really didn't know what to do with herself and all the time she had available (she was retired by then). She took some trips abroad, got a social life going but died within a few years. My Father had stated many times I was not to give up my life here in the US to go back care for him, he already had a wonderful Independent Living situation planned out, but met a woman and remarried. He died 2 years later. Care Givers should be considered part of the family, respected and shown appreciation for their work.
