CareGiver Guide Introduction

I am writing this CareGiver Guide newsletter to share with you what I have learned about becoming a compassionate CareGiver and living a life directed toward peace and joy. My education began in earnest when I returned home to New York City at the end of May in 2003 to care for my mother, Mary Anastasi. I was with her as she dealt with the symptoms of liver disease. She died less than two months before her 83^rd birthday on March 14, 2004.  

The wisdom I gained about care giving comes from three sources: from reflecting on my own experiences as a CareGiver; from the conversations I had with my mother, other CareGivers, and professionals who deal with end-of-life issues; and from the research I did about care giving, about living well, and about dying well.

Most of us begin as CareGivers when we get the news that a loved one has a terminal disease. The news catches us off-guard. It shocks us. When we get over the stun of the shocking news, we typically launch into mobilization. We want to do whatever we can to fight the disease. Too often, this focus on mobilization leads us on a downward spiral which ends in burnout. My intent is that by reading this newsletter, you will not only avoid burnout, but you will also be able to reduce the stress that comes with being a CareGiver.