Sheila Warnock says the hardest thing for family caregivers is accepting help from others. She argues that letting people help is actually a gift to them, giving them purpose and a chance to grow. When caregivers stop trying to do everything alone, they have more presence with the people they love.
That's the biggest hurdle, is to get people to accept help. But if you allow people to help you, you're actually giving them a gift. You're giving them an opportunity to do something meaningful that makes them feel good, makes them grow, makes them— it's a gift. It's a gift. That's all I can tell you. If people could just understand that it takes all that, "Gee, what can I do?" And instead of just saying, "Well, gee, I don't know what you can do," or, "We're fine," it lightens the load. It makes your time with your loved one, if you're a family caregiver, so much, so much more meaningful because you're not worrying about all that other stuff that somebody else can do for you. And they want to do it for you.
Akwesasne Radio Interview Reen Cook with Tewentahawih'tha' Cole and Sheila Warnock
Lori Miller of Kawaii Hospice in Kawaii Hawaii - Share The Care - Sheila Warnock
