As part of their coverage of this week's upcoming World Alzheimer's Action Day, my local paper is doing a review/profile of our care-giving book. In preparation for that, the reporter assigned to the story sent me a series of questions, including the following:
Was there something you might describe as a positive or perhaps even beautiful aspect of caring for your mother-in-law at all?
I like to think of this, and many of the related sorts of questions that care-givers get as: why? Why do it?
In the wake of Pat Robertson's despicable and ignorant comments last week about just divorcing a spouse with Alzheimer's, I think a lot of people have been asking this question, including care-providers who may even be asking it of themselves.
My answer to the reporter in my comment, below. Please share yours.
CareGiving Kos is a community diary series posted generally on Sunday morning and Wednesday evening by volunteer diarists. This group & series is for those who are now (or have been) in the role of being a care-giver for a loved one. We want this space to be supportive and free of squabbles. Our only rule is to be kind to yourself and others who are going through a very difficult time. Please respect the concept of this group: No Politics Here.1
1 By "no politics" we don't mean "avoid politics completely" - it's too relevant, at times, to portions of the topics discussed. But keep any references to politics focused and within the context of the caregiving topic. Avoid flames, flaming, flame-wars and dragging the discussion off-topic. Thank you.