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Companion Caregiver Author Carolyn A Brent On CaregivingPublished January 30, 2015 | By Andrew Mondia

Caregiver Companion Author Carolyn A Brent Talks AboutCaregiving and Offers Tips

Today I have the great pleasure of being the host on Day 11 of the Virtual Blog Tour of author CarolynA. Brent whose book The Caregivers Companion: Caring for Your Loved One Medically,Financially and Emotionally While Caring for Yourself is celebrating its big Amazon launch NOW!!!Carolyn A. Brent is a nationally acclaimed author, speaker and caregiver advocate. She hasdedicated her life to preparing caregivers and their loved ones to face end-of-life issues. Carolyn is thefounder of Caregiver Story, a non-profit organization that provides free medical, legal and wellnessresources to the public.

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Yesterday, Carolyn visited Maria Dancing Heart Hoaglund at http://exm.nr/1xusoIL, where sheinterviewed Carolyn on the subject of spirituality and caregivingsupport.Today, Id like to share with you a recent interview I had with Carolynwhen I got to ask her on the subject of the joys and overcoming fears ofcaregiving. I hope you enjoy it.-Andrew Mondia: What is the number one thing that is important forcaregivers to remember?Carolyn A. Brent: After going through the journey and heartache ofbeing the sole family caregiver for my father for twelve years, and thenenduring the pain of legal conflicts with my siblings, I ultimately askedmyself a key question: What would you do differently if you could do itall over again? My answer was simple: I would take better care ofmyself at every step in the process.

To be an effective caregiver, you must take care of yourself as well. Now on the other end of caregiving,I find that exercise and meditation help me to relax, as I never did beforehand. I wish I had known tonurture myself better while I was on the journey with my father.After interviewing over one thousand former caregivers nationwide, it still amazes me that they all gaveme similar responses to this one question: What would you do differently? Its exceptionally commonfor us caregivers to fail to take good care of ourselves. Were so busy caring for our loved ones that we

forget how important our own self-care is. As a result, caregivers end up with back and neck problems.We end up with all sorts of different physical ailments. We even end up in the hospital.Know your limits and how much you can realistically handle as a caregiver. Dont overexert yourself. Ifpossible, ask your immediate family and extended family for help. Otherwise, seek help in yourcommunity, from doctors, and from caregiver support groups.Andrew Mondia: Caregiving can be a lot of work but on the upside what are the joys to being acaregiver?Carolyn A. Brent: Yes, the UPSIDE is the memories you will have forever in spending fun qualitytime with your loved one. Once you become a primary caregiver, how you spend your free time willchange. You will spend some of your free time trying to keep your ailing loved one as active aspossible. In my case I volunteered at a senior adult day-care center that my dad visited and became abingo caller. I had so much fun calling out the numbers and watching everyone having a good old time.I derived joy from seeing my dad having fun with his friends. I also began to include Dad in some ofmy own social events, such as trips to museums, art classes, and Bible study, which Dad enjoyed. Ilearned to embrace that time spent with my dad, and it was gratifying to know that I could make himhappy, even if that meant sacrificing time or energy that I would have spent elsewhere.Andrew Mondia: If one has fear in being a caregiver. What can help them to overcome this fear?Carolyn A. Brent: When you choose to provide care for a loved one, it is an act of unconditionallove and loyalty that money cannot buy.No amount could compensate for the hard work involved in undertaking this responsibility when thecare you give is based upon the right motivations. No hired caregiver, no matter how well trained; could

ever feel for your loved one as much as you do. Your family truly needs to understand the significanceof selecting the right caregiver, and the level of dedication that family caregiving demands.If your lifestyle does not permit you to be the primary caregiver, and you have the fear of being acaregiver, be very discreet and ask another qualified, loving family member to be the primary caregiver.Or you can hire a medical professional to help meet the needs of your loved one. Carefully vet thecandidates for this position so that you do not inadvertently place your loved one in harms way.Remember, caregiving is a second full-time job when your loved one actually lives with you, so youwill have to consider to an even greater degree whether your lifestyle is truly compatible.

More details are in The Caregivers Companion: Chapters 1: When Should You Step In?-I hope you enjoyed this interview with Carolyn A. Brent and that youll check out her book on Amazontoday:

The Caregivers Companion:Caring for Your Loved One Medically,

Financially and Emotionally While Caring for Yourself

Caregiver Companion Book CoverThanks for reading! Please share your comments and thoughts below. I love reading your feedback.AND be sure to follow Carolyn tomorrow when the next stop on the Virtual Blog Tour is James Hill,who will be interviewing Carolyn on the subject of caregivers and their relationships with a significantother. To visit that stop on the tour, go to http://bit.ly/1KYEwuTPosted in General

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