My mom is 80 years old and is more vibrant now than ever. She is a shining example of a Caregiver Par Excellence!!! She was married for 58 years to my dad, having gotten married when she was 20 and moved from her parents house to being married to my dad. The last 2-1/2 years of their marriage, my dad was on Home Hospice with Advanced Parkinson’s disease with progressive Parkinson’s dementia. My mom took care of him gladly, giving of her time and love to a man that forgot who she was. He stopped talking and had to be washed, fed and dressed. He had to be reminded that she was his wife and her strength, love and dedication to giving him a good day and a comfortable existence and a loving presence never wavered. She is a shining example of the power of caregiving. My dad was never able to say Thank you, to let her know that he was grateful for all that she gave to him so I say it here for him. Mom, thank you for being a Shining Example of the Power of Caregiving-giving of yourself, in service, with kindness, compassion and love!
I wondered how my mom would do when he died. She has thrived!! Now, she cares for many of the seniors in our town, she takes them to their doctor appointments, she drives them to Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston when they need their Chemotherapy and she does it gladly because she has a purpose for her life every day that she wakes up. The world could not function without caregivers! This Thanksgiving, give thanks for all the caregivers that have touched your life! As parents, when we role model caregiving, our children are the beneficiaries of the best example of the power of purpose to make this world better! Happy Thanksgiving!