At some point in many of our lives, we will find ourselves becoming a caregiver, either to our parents, spouse, children, or other relatives. If you do not have the money to pay someone to look after your loved one, either you or a family member will become the primary caregiver. If you are a female, then you would be joining the 75% of other caregivers who are women. Men too are often the designated caregiver, but the majority who take on this role are women. According to American Association for Retired People (AARP) and the National Alliance for Caregivers, 1 in 5 Americans are caregivers.[1]

The life of the caregiver is not an easy one. In addition to taking care of their loved one, they may also have other responsibilities such as children, a job outside the home, and their own health issues. It can all lead to burn out. Caregivers often experience a strain on their physical and emotional well being. It is difficult to watch someone you love die. It can all be too much for any of us and can lead to psychological and physical problems for the one providing care. Research conducted by AARP found that 4 in 10 caregivers rarely or never feel relaxed.[2]

Caregiving comes with an abundance of mixed emotions that range from happiness to be with our loved one to anger, sadness, resentment, regret, guilt, and grief. This grieving process is called anticipatory grief and can begin with a terminal diagnosis. Not only do we begin........

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