As a facilitator of our community outreach program, Family Caregiver Workshop-Physical Skills, I always have an expectation that each event will meet the needs of the attendees in a dramatic and defining way. At a recent workshop, I had the opportunity of training two women who were each family caregivers for their mothers. Other than their mothers’ symptoms of mild to moderate dementia, the two women seemingly had nothing else in common. During the course of the workshop, both women connected related to their bucket lists. They both wanted to travel!
Although the women stated that financing their travel was not a hindrance, restrictive family caregiver responsibilities appeared to make this dream unobtainable for both. At the close of the workshop, I observed them as they discussed their love for travel. They desired to venture outside of the contiguous United States while they still had some vigor. Unnoticed by either, I listened intently as they discussed various geographical locations which seemed to be a million miles away from the rigorous demands of their day to day caregiver duties. As they talked, these historically beautiful locations seemed to gradually draw closer until they [the locations] were just a decision away!
They traded phone numbers, emails, and addresses with the intent to pursue their dream as traveling companions. Their irrepressible smiles throughout the focused conversation showed that they were quite willing and happy to be at a point where they could seriously consider intercontinental travel.
Although rewarding, family caregiving can be all-encompassing, even overwhelming. These two attendees showed me that it is possible to discover ‘diamonds’ in very rough places. These ‘diamonds’ represent one of the most important elements of humanity – HOPE.
DONALD W. REYNOLDS INSTITUTE ON AGING
629 Jack Stephens Dr – Little Rock, AR 72205
501-526-6500