Coping with the Challenges of Being a Long-Distance Caregiver

Ask caregivers about the ups and downs of their role, and you'll hear a variety of responses. In addition to a list of challenges, you may also hear some positives, including the feeling that it's a privilege and that they wouldn't want to have it any other way. What you probably won't hear is the phrase, "It's easy." There are many reasons being a caregiver can be a challenge, and not the least of these is living far from the person who is receiving the care. Caring from a distance can involve guilt feelings, emergency trips, worry, time off work, disagreements with siblings, unfamiliarity with the resources that may be available and increased financial stress. And that's not an all-inclusive list. Let's be honest, here. There are no "3 Easy Steps to Stress-Free Long Distance Caregiving- Guaranteed!" (said in an overly-enthusiastic sales pitch voice.) There are, however, some ways to decrease the challenges associated with caring from a distance. One of those is to pro-actively become familiar with the resources of that community at a time of your choosing, rather than in the middle of a crisis. Too often, the demands of life encourage us to put off the tasks that aren't required for the moment. Think- "tyranny of the urgent." We're juggling several different roles and what doesn't need to be done today, doesn't get done today. But when things fall apart for our loved one and she's not able to care adequately for herself anymore, trying to figure out an emergency plan for...
Source: About Alzheimers Disease - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news