How Dementia Caregivers Feel #mentalhealth

[shellilayman]

Thank you! I am struggling with all of these feelings right now and felt so guilty. It is truly the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do and nobody ever talks about it, acknowledges it or even admits it for fear of being judged by others.

[rc]

The decline is happening so fast it’s heartbreaking 💔

[clynnadams]

I needed this so badly. I've been feeling so bad about myself lately because I feel frustrated.

[mindywheeler]

I’m sorry for every caregiver going through this. I feel extreme sadness most of the time and we’re pretty early into the disease.

[zwqlsjf]

Please add guilt to that when you lose patience and when you experience these normal emotions. Thank you.

[daizeofgrace]

Thank you. I needed this right at this moment. My husband has dementia and I now am suffering from a spinal fracture and pinched nerves down both legs. It’s trash out day so I have to help him. We have a huge cat that loves getting out and we have to be so careful and when going in the door my husband just stops. The door is open and Merlin is looking to get out so I put my hand on my husbands back to push him along and he got so upset but I’m the one that has to grab the cat and get him in and it would kill my back. Sometimes I just feel I can’t do this and I get so upset with myself.

[amandacullinan]

Thank you for that! I am constantly asking God for forgiveness for these negative feelings I have towards my mom. She is so difficult to deal with sometimes...she can be such a negative b**ch, and very hateful. It's very trying😢

[LemonLover]

I just lost my patience with my mother because she wanted something immediately and I had to drop what I was doing to please her. I raised my voice at her and now I feel horrible 😞.

[kristablockowitz]

You are right!
I would not give up a single minute I spent as my Mother’s one on one person. I felt it all, but I was still there. That is love, and she loved me too!

[artistocracy]

Thank you for giving us the space to feel what we feel as caregivers. I am looking after my 74 y/o husband, in Australia, who had his first psychotic episode 2 years ago, after being a narcissist for the entire time I’ve known him which was 22 years before his mental breakdown. Now, he has a very different temperament, is kind and appreciative and cannot remember who he used to be. I do all his meds daily and deal with the doctor and he goes on walks, swims and goes on long bike rides, and reads a lot. A life of luxury for him, but 2 years of emotional struggle in the extreme for me. He told the hospital one time that he had killed me. Then I lived through 4 suicide attempts at home, when I saved his life. Now I need him to pay for his future death costs because I’d be in a panic and don’t have the money. Only God helps me through all of this. 🙏📖✝️🇦🇺

[patluvsrocky]

Thank you. Every day is an emotional roller coaster for me. Sometimes I am up in the middle of the night crying for what my mother is going through. I hate seeing her deteriorating, suffering and struggling. If it’s hard for me it must be harder for her and I pray for a merciful end to it all. 😢

[vickimiller]

Thank you! This means so much coming from you as a professional and someone who personally deals with this. It's hard not to be hard on ourselves sometimes

[jenniferb]

Thank you so much wonderful lady. I needed to hear that holding back my tears, anger, frustration at the beginning of this journey, working in Alzheimer's research at the same time knowing what's coming. Praying dealing with all the changes and someone that will never be the same

[janetstarnes]

🙏 Lord be with these Human Beings. ❤️💕

[edewest]

I FEEL SO WORTHLESS FOR GETTING MAD OR CRYING BECAUSE I CANT HANDLE A SITUATION..LETTING GOD DOWN..MYSELF DOWN..TIED DOWN..GUILT..FEEL LIKE I NEED SOMETHING BEFORE I BREAK DOWN..AND IVE ALWAYS BEEN A STRONG WOMAN.😭😭

[lynnerattie]

Thank you it getting so hard for me as a care giver the few weeks has been terrible!

[pw]

Thank you for this. It helps so many carers in those dark times.

[makotonichan]

I just started on my official caregiving journey in a memory care facility. I worked as a housekeeper in a long term care facility and decided to reach for this career.

[subaldwin]

This made me cry. I actually feel I'm to blame

[lucystraite]

I just finished trying to get my husbands clothes off for bed, it’s becoming almost impossible because he is being more and mor defying everyday. I spend so much time crying because I want to continue being there for him and take care of myself mentally as well.