Hi everyone,
Does anyone know of any good books that are about caring for a parent with a disability? I’m having difficulty finding one that isn’t about caring for aging parents. Or even if you know of a book about caregiving that is very applicable to my situation.
Background: I am 25 years old and have a parent who is in a wheelchair and needs 24 hr care. So it’s a bit different than caring for an aging parent, but it’s caring for a middle care parent as my child none the less.
I obviously feel overwhlemed by my role that I have been somewhat “forced” into, as I don’t have any siblings to take some of the burden. I find myself more worried about my parents’ lives than my own and spend so much of my time giving myself to them rather than being a normal young adult.
There is homecare involved, but as anyone knows, homecare does not replace the need for family members to take on a large portion of the care. My mum has been in a wheelchair since I was a teenager so I have spent so much of my life dedicated to taking care of her that I feel like my own life has been greatly affected. It’s a strange place to be in when you are a “parent” to your parent, but you are still a “child” in their eyes (as they are not at an age where I can really take the reigns. Shes in her 50s).
At this point I feel trapped. I can’t ever move away because I have such a large responsibility; I can’t really follow any of my own dreams because that takes time away from caregiving; I can’t ever imagine having children as I don’t have anymore time and I barley get to solely think of myself as it is. My life really does revolve about worrying about my mum and meeting her needs.
If anyone has any advice on a good book or place for information that would be greatly appreciated! I love my parents so much and I wish that things would be different so badly. And I feel horrible even writing this post, but I realise that it is a normal human reaction to a large responsibility of caring for a parent physically in all areas. But I have pushed aside my own feelings and frustrations with being in a caregiver role that I am really needing some good solid advice.
Thanks