a member

I'm tired. I realize being a caretaker isn't something that we should be praised highly. Not in that way. As someone being praised by my family to our relatives as me being a good caretaker of my parent, it doesn't make me feel better because praise doesn't make the exhaustion go away. And it's not only physical exhaustion. Mental and emotional too. Mental because you have to be consistent and organize when it comes to their health and needs. Emotional because.. well yeah. Nobody wants to see our loved ones health deteriorates. But the biggest thing that a lot of outsiders don't see is how much your life becomes the life of another person. Where your time and energy is relied by them. Where you have to also take care of yourself to keep on taking care of them. Because that's what caretaking is. It may be a different experience to some.. but i hope this can be made aware to some that it isn't something that we perceive as it is. And it's not easy. If you know someone who is a caretaker or someone taking care of a loved one due to health issues, be there for them too. Check on them. Give them support. It would help them a lot. And they would need it.