Are You an Overachieving Caregiver?
From the Alzheimer's Sourcebook for Caregivers
- Do you feel that no-one else can look after your relative as well as
you can?
- Do you go for weeks without taking even an hour off?
- Would you feel you had abandoned your relative if you took him or her
to a day respite program?
- Do you feel that only you can understand him or her and that letting
others provide care would hurt, frighten or otherwise damage your relative?
- Do you feel anxious, exhausted or irritable most of the time?
- Do you secretly feel angry with your relative, and then feel deeply ashamed
of your unnatural feelings and become obsessed by guilt?
- Have you dropped all your previous hobbies, friends and interests?
- Would you rather die than let your relative go into full-time professional
care?
- Do you avoid going to support groups because you could never share your
feelings with strangers, and/or you are sure such groups are full of people
who just make each other miserable?
- Do you keep all your fears, needs and feelings to yourself because you
aren't the kind of person who shares such things with others?
- Are you sure that no good caregivers can be found?
More than two "yes's" qualifies you for the overachieving caregiver club!
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