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By Jo Horne
I have the right:
To take care of
myself. This is not an act of selfishness. It will give
me the capability of taking better care of my loved one.
To seek help
from others even though my loved ones may object. I
recognize the limits of my own endurance and strength.
To maintain
facets of my own life that do not include the person I
care for, just as I would if he or she were healthy. I
know that I do everything that I reasonably can for this
person, and I have the right to do some things just for
myself.
To get angry, be depressed, and
express other difficult feelings occasionally.
To reject any
attempts by my loved one (either conscious or
unconscious) to manipulate me through guilt, and/or
depression.
To receive consideration,
affection, forgiveness, and acceptance for what I do,
from my loved ones, for as long as I offer these
qualities in return.
To take pride in
what I am accomplishing and to applaud the courage it
has sometimes taken to meet the needs of my loved one.
To protect my
individuality and my right to make a life for myself
that will sustain me in the time when my loved one no
longer need my full-time help.
To expect and
demand that as new strides are made in finding resources
to aid physically and mentally impaired persons in our
country, similar strides will be made towards aiding and
supporting caregivers.
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