Our guest speaker on Nov. 11 was Rachel Wankling, a health insurance broker and licensed agent, who spoke on the Medicare Plans, which can be so confusing. She explained, explored, compared, and helped us understand which plan was best for our family. She has been in this field for more than 20 years and knows her stuff. This is important information for all of us, especially when we are the caregivers of our loved ones who need so much medical attention, plus being the partner who must make these decisions alone.
Being a caregiver can be challenging and stressful. But caregivers also describe their role as very meaningful. Here are a few of the many rewards that you may experience when caring for a loved one:
• You may gain new skills.
• You may learn to be more organized and to plan ahead.
• You may learn to speak your concerns and needs more clearly.
• You may discover strengths and skills you did not know you had.
• You may develop new and lasting friendships.
• You accomplish more and feel less alone when you connect with others who face the same challenges.
Caregivers benefit by sharing their concerns, information, and solutions with others. Caregiving is an opportunity to say, “Thank you. You are valuable to me. I love you. I care about you. I will be here for you.”
You can learn about taking care of yourself, too. Breathe, drink lots of water, nourish your body, sleep, move your body, laugh, write in a journal, meditate and/or visualize, and give yourself some credit.
Please feel free to reach out for help or just to talk. Contact Esta Goldstein at 520-825-1181 or [email protected] or contact Marilyn Sellers at 520-818-0965 or [email protected].