Happy Thanksgiving! In honor of the celebration, and caregivers across the country who are hosting the holiday as well as caring for a loved one; here are some reminders of all you have to be thankful for today:
1. Good Food
You should never finish a Thanksgiving meal without being thankful not only for the fact that you are able to partake in such a feast, but that also the turkey was actually cooked to safe perfection.
2. Dish Soap
You may have a lot of cleanup to do later on, but be thankful that you have running water, access to soap, and the very dishes you are washing.
If you used disposable stuff, then be thankful for the technology that allows paper plates to be mass produced so that one day a year you can chunk the mess guilt free!
3. Chilly Weather
It may not be fun to travel in snow, rain, or cold breezes, but just remember how hot and miserable your house would be if you had to do all that cooking in August.
4. Family
Maybe you don't all love each other totally. Maybe the holidays are a bit tense, (especially with current politics dividing dinner tables as much as the nation). But if you didn't have all those guests, what on earth would you do with all the leftovers?
Tension or no, you do at least have family and friends. They might not always be perfect, but that's another thing to be thankful for. If no one else is perfect, then you don't have to work overtime to be, either.
5. The Extra Work
If you are a caregiver, you may feel like holidays are just ONE more thing that stretches your already too-thin self a little flatter. Just how much can one person do??
But be thankful because whereas you might be hustling to get everything done in time, and dreading the hours you will spend later putting it all away, you are not at doctor's appointment. You aren't dealing with an insurance company, or waiting for someone in physical therapy, or getting something filled at the pharmacy.
Instead of thinking of this day as extra work, think of it as actually, for one day, being sort of normal again.
Happy Thanksgiving from Elder Care Issues!
Caregiving at the holidays can be super-stressful. So don't try to do it all. Enjoy your loved ones, ignore the messes, and find a reason to laugh.
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