Soar to Success May 2019

Love, Marriage & Caregiving: The Life Altering Decision of Moving Your Parents Into Your Home By Stella Nsong, RN H eidi turned the ringing alarm off. It was 6:00AM and time to get the kids off to school and then drive to her in- laws to provide care. Debbie, her 75 years old mother in-law who suffers with arthritis, cannot lift her father in-law, Jim, out of bed or help him to the shower. It is important that Jim gets into the shower daily because he is incontinent. This has been the daily routine since Jim’s stroke 3 years ago. At the end of the day, after a full day’s ZRUN DW WKH RIĆFH DV ZHOO DV SLFNLQJ kids up from school and after school programs, Heidi returns this time to get Jim ready for bed. Heidi’s husband is in the military and currently out of the country. He made a promise not to put his dad in the nursing home and the dad had joked that if he did, he and the FKLOGUHQ ZRXOG EH &87 287 2) 7+( WILL. This leaves Heidi serving as a family caregiver. There are approximately 85