Stories from Caregivers: Karen from OHIO
OH
Karen
FROM OHIO
Years before I became disabled, I was a caregiver for my Mom and Dad. Their names wereLeon and Lorene. They had been married over 50 years before they passed away. I got certified to do home care just to take care of them. They had 13 children, and I'm number 10. My mom lived with diabetes, remission breast cancer, high blood pressure, arthritis and dementia. She was a happy woman until she got dementia. I would come over after working 3rd shift. I was there to make coffee and fix breakfast sometimes. I won't take the credit for being her only caregiver, my sisters and brothers pitched in to help take care of her. On a good day, she would hum and be cooking breakfast, There started to be bad days, when she would want to go home. I told my siblings when she gets like this, we should just take her for ride. Then she would be alright. A tips for caregivers today, never argue with a person that has dementia or Alzheimers, go along with what ever they say or want to do. This keeps their stress level way down. She was in renal failure, and it got bad quick, she died from complications. My dad did not concern his-self with doctors until my mom died, by then he had complications from diabetes and high blood pressure. My Dad died 1 year after my mom, he died in his sleep and he had a smile on his face. I believe that he had seen my mom again. Another tip to future caregivers, don't concern yourself with your own routine for your patient, they may have their own routine and you want to keep as much normalcy with your patient, because change is hard for the elderly. God blessed me with wto great parents that loved each other the rest of their lives. May they rest in peace
