AARP Caregiving Summer Break Contest

[AARPTeri]

Summertime often means taking breaks and planning vacations. Both of these can be a bit tricky while caring for a loved one.  Have you traveled with your loved one recently or are you planning to?  

Share your experience here and you will be entered in our Caregiving Summer Contest 2018 and could win one of the weekly $100 gift cards or a chance for the overall winning prize of $500 gift card. Your story may be advice or inspirational!

Review rules here:  https://community.aarp.org/t5/Caregiving/AARP-Caregiving-Summer-Break-Contest-2018/m-p/2023713#M67

[JayK556160]

My 87 year old grandmother lives in Mexico, and every year I take a couple of months off work to stay with her and care for her. It is an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only does this allow her to stay in her home instead of moving into assisted living, being with her gives me an opportunity to learn my family history.

[kiraht435507]

I recently traveled with my mom to Central New York to visit our family. It was a wonderful 16 days in “small-town America.” We visited family, shared recipes, and celebrated the 50th Wedding Anniversary of her sister and brother-in-law. My mom is partially retired but works for the school district in the cafeteria, touching the lives of children by serving them meals and a smile. My mom definitely deserves a break. 

[RossH324094]

My grandmother is currently 82 years old. She still gets around very well and lives on her own but occasionally has trouble remembering things. She fell in the laundry room a couple of months ago and no one was there to help her so she just sat there because she knew someone was coming to visit soon. I hate to think about what could have happened if she ended up hurting herself that day or no one was coming to visit. Who knows how long she would have sat there. So I ended up buying her an emergency button to push in case it happened again.

[KushalG921557]

This is good

[BorissA502410]

My story is based on values ​​since my family life is focused on that in valuing and loving the family

[PatS664274]

Hi, my name is Mark and I am a caregiver to my father of 89 years. It has been a rough year for us my 86 year old mother is in a nursing home due to dementia and despite her inability to even remember who we are sometimes my father insists upon visiting her every single day for about 5 hours. We also lost my sister back in February to an unexpected heart attack. Before I took over she was the primary caregiver. She lived with him and made sure he ate right, kept appointments and so forth. These things have been tough on him and while he is a man who doesn’t show emotion well it has definitely taken a toll on him.

I was planning on taking him to Saratoga for a few days. My father loves Saratoga racetrack, he loves the sport of horse racing, and gambling in general. When we were young we would often go on trips with him out there and I was hoping that perhaps a change of scenery could raise his spirits a bit. 

[mariesmsn]

Hi. I'm Marie and I am caregiver to my 99 year old Dad, who will be 100 in two weeks and my husband who is 66 and had a stroke last year and is paralyzed on the left side; both arm and leg. My Mom passed two years ago and my brother and I have done everything we can to keep Dad at home. However, in the last couple of weeks he has started falling quite often.  Needless to say; I don't even know what a getaway for myself is.  The most I can squeeze out is a 90 minute massage once a month. Reading the many stories that have been submitted is comforting to me in many ways and thanks to all who are sharing their stories, as they really do help us who walk in your shoes as well.

[WilliamB249389]

i was  doing that and how they do an awesome job in my points out that and animals and plants to get the product and animals are not the product is going well with you

[BrandyN769664]

I am broke as a joke.

[KelvinC317123]

I survived a whole different region,my perpesctive was rather honest,she told me break a heart or let my wounds resort to vengence 

[DavidA135183]

My name is David, and I am the primary caregiver for my 88 year old father. While there are certainly days where it is mentally rough, I feel a sense of pride being there for my dad who was there for me for so many years.

We absolutely love to hit the road in our RV and visit my brothers and sisters who live across the US. And I often see that he is having the time of his life.

There are daily challenges too, but I wouldn't have it any other way than to share those challenges together.

[SamanthaM389107]

Taking a break for me means staying home with my kids and my aging parents. I often plan outings where we are not to far from home. On occasion we go to on longer trips but they are so well planned that I am often exhausted by the time they roll around. So i plan as much as I can with the notion that something or many things are going to go wrong. 

[DimiS465875]

My mom is in her late 70's and after some hip and knee surgeries she has slowed down a bit, so I have been helping her with physical therapy exercises. This summer we took a trip to the beach to do some swimming and i got us a 2 person pedal cart thing we got to use. It was great to get around the boardwalk areas as well as some great exercise for her knee. (we went slowly lol)

[MoniqueM372259]

My name is Monique. My grandmother lives with me and I am her caretaker. My father, who is her son, lives out in Florida so I am the only one that lives close to her in PA to care fror her. She is 85 years old and has some mobility issues and is showing some early signs of dementia although she hasn't been diagnosed. My grandmother has been with me for a year now and I have truly enjoyed caring for her thus far. As far as this summer goes, I have been taking my grandmother to do a lot of local things since she has mobility issues and can't really go too far so we go to plays, to the library, and even to the mall. She's helped my father take care of me when I was a younger child when he and my mother were having issues and would constantly kick him out and he would have to stay with her. Though I am currently her caretaker, she also heps care for me in ways as well by giving me a lot of her wisdom and sharing a lot of her experiences with me to help me out in the real world. My grandmother has many roles in my life. Sometimes my grandmother is like a best friend. Sometimes my grandmother is like a rigorous teacher. She passed much knowledge from her experiences onto me, and she would encourage me to change bad habits. It feels good to know that I can give back to her for helping me in my younger years and even now to prepare for when she is gone and I have to find ways on my own. When that time comes though her words will always resonante with me and I will know how beautiful and life-changing this experience has been caring for her this past year and the years to come.

[DaveS73168]

I take care of my mom, she's had some falls and can't get around as easily as she used to. She was born in Greece and we have many realtives and friends out there, so every summer if her health permits, I buy us 2 tickets and we head out to Greece, meet and eat with many people, visit beaches to go swimming and hang out on the beach playing backgammon.

[EmilyL297875]

Hi

This is Emily.

This summer, we, the siblings and I took our mom on a cruise.  She totally enjoys it as the whole trip she does not need to walk much.  I think cruise is really a good vacation for her.

[SusanF538851]

Being a care giver for me isn't just about the work, it's about keeping close at heart & being a companion to that person.  Keeps the heart full. ❤

[SaloneW854534]

well you see... i dont got no story

[KristenL259795]

I recently took my 92 year old grandmother on a plane for the first time in her life! We went to florida and took her sightseeing and to see her family who she hasnt seen in years.  She was absolutley thrilled.  I was happy I was able to make that possible!

[GaryZ873104]

Accessibility is key!

[GaryZ993267]

Taking that break is easy as long as the destination is accessible!

[BobS767258]

Yes indeed.

[JayO845268]

Hello,

It is encouraging to be surrounded by others who understand what I am going through. Being a caretaker is exhausting but something I feel I need to do for as long as I am capable. Family is the best for the loved one.

[tb1302554]

While growing up my mother would tell us, "We don't know what's coming at us, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't plan."  That has stuck with me, especially now as we transition to a new caregiving relationship.  For our family, vacations became a type of routine.  A week in summer, spent with our son, usually visiting a new destination.  Now our son is grown and living his adult life and I found myself trying to substitue my mother into the "Family Vacation Formula" with less than spectacular results.  This summer, taking my mom's advice, we're accepting the unexpected and planning as much as we can for a new type of getaway.  We're focusing less on seeing it all and instead looking forward to experiencing what we most connect with.  For my mother and myself, that's art.  Our amusement park days are gone, but I'm very much looking forward to our vacations spent exploring museums and historical sites.  

[DaleC383619]

Do not take your young grandkids to a neighoborhood pool and put them in the baby pool. Our 3 year old grandson got terribly sick the next morning from swallowing too much water that had bacteria in it. Poor guy was sick for 3 or 4 days.

[JoelR679939]

I am just tired of getting up every day and punching the **bleep** to work for people that don't care about me.  I work all day and ocme home to my mother, who needs some light care for now, but I know it will be worse.  I feel like I will never see my retirement.  It will never come for me even though I work very hard.  I feel like I am sinking further and further into a hole where there is no escape.  

[KellyW881623]

Thanks

[lr4326]

i call my sis and she takes over for a few days 

[KariN364994]

We traveled with family up the Eastern coast.  My dad's wish list trip.  He had a blast!

[LouiseE489830]

I lost my mom earlier this yera.  She suffered a stroke only two months after my dad died from a stroke.  She spent over two years in a vegetative state with a feeding tube on a hospital bed in my home.  I was an only child so I was very close to my mom.  I don’t know if she knew I was there, but it was important for me to take care of her.  She was a great mom and I miss her.  This won’t work for everyone, but I am a person of faith.  My church organized a ladies group that came to my home once a week.  They would bring food, companionship, and prayer.  They wer alao available to sit with her for me when I neded to go out.  I believe those breaks and those wonderful women helped to give me the strength I needed to care for my mom.  I’ll never forget them or my mom.  Miss you Mom & Dad!