Keeping Your Orbit!
Dear Caregivers,
This week we experienced a lunar eclipse, which occurs when the full moon passes through the shadow cast by the earth, turning the moon a deep red. The event reminded me of the complex connections between our sun, moon, and earth, and how they interact and influence each other as they move through space. The motions of these spheres not only govern earth’s daily cycles of tides, but occasionally, as they did this week, create remarkable, otherworldly interactions such as solar and lunar eclipses.
For a caregiver of a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s, the interactions between your various “orbits” are just as complex — and just as potentially consequential. Your caregiving activities create the ordinary cycles of daily life such as eating, sleeping, and bathing, keeping you “in orbit” with your loved one on a continual basis. I’m sure that as a caregiver, it can sometimes feel as though you are a satellite locked in a gravitational vise around your loved one’s needs. At the same time, the progression of the disease can sometimes change the overall dynamics of your relationship over time.
One important principle for coping with these dynamics comes back to interactions between the earth and moon: The moon doesn’t just “revolve” around a stationary earth; rather, the earth and moon actually revolve around each other. In the same way, your roles as caregiver and loved one are a partnership, with each partner in the dance contributing to the dynamics of both your lives. It’s important to take the time to pause and appreciate this evolving yet enduring partnership.
Here’s some more insight into caregiving relationships:
The Challenges of Role Reversal in Caregiving:
You likely spent most of your life seeing your parent as a provider, protector, and decision-maker. Now, it is you who are in the role of being provider, protector, and decision-maker in your parent's life. Here’s how to manage that transition.
Communicating With Your Loved One:
Communicating with a loved one with Alzheimer's can be challenging, as the illness robs your loved one of their abilities to remember and process information during a conversation. But there are ways you can make it easier for both of you to communicate effectively.
Keeping Your Personal Relationships Strong While Caregiving:
The stresses of caregiving can cause significant strains on a marriage or any other relationship. Here’s how to keep stress at bay and keep your personal relationships healthy.
Remember, if you can’t find the information you need on our website, you can always “Ask NAN” by clicking on this link.
Best,
Rosemary D Laird, MD, MHSA
Founder and Chief Medical Officer
“Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.”
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
