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

[tw2774]

crazy sexy love

[stacyw966481]

We get a break by heading out with the family.  For some reason, it doesn't seem to hard to take care of them when we're on vacation.  Maybe its because when we're home we still have all of the home things to do.  When we're on vacation, that gets eliminated.  Its not always easy to go on vacation, but we can usually get to the beach once a year.

[LoriannH138139]

I am happily married to my best friend and we have two amazing kids, a 16 almost 17-year-old son and a 9 1/2-year-old daughter.  I am the caregiver for my parents, whom I love and respect more than anything.  My father had a heart attack and knee replacement surgery on both his knees (one knee had to be replaced again due to complications) and still has a lot of problems with one.  He was always the rock of the family and did everything he could to give us kids everything we needed and a lot of what we wanted even when we struggled with finances.  My mom always joked that if dad ever won the lottery he would spend every bit of it on someone else to just see them smile.  He is the most unselfish person I know.  I would love to give him a vacation with the whole family.  It has been his dream for a long time to take a family vacation with everyone.  He definitely deserves it.  

[DeborahB261552]

My husband has Lewy body dementia. We recently flew to Newark, New Jersey. Best thing I did was to arrange for wheelchair assistance. They did not only help get us safely thru the airport, they also helped us with bathrooms as they did not have family bathrooms. Also have a tracker on him thru Poject Lifesaver and the police department. If separated can call 911 and he can be found much faster. As for everyday I make sure we get out everyday for lunch, a bagel, ice cream, walk at the mall , etc. I know eventually we will not be able to get out so trying to keep up his quailty of life as long as possible. God bless all of you who are caregivers. It's a 24 hour job, for lack of a better word.

[g749961k]

going on vacation with the family is always a fun time...but since Mom has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's it's gotten more difficult to get away...we try to take her around town when she is feeling good & treat her to dinner

[n686366e]

Due to caring for a loved one and his subsequent passing this March, most of my vacation days were used however I will be taking the family camping for the long Labor Day weekend.

[AgnesP947376]

I was born in Poland, but immigrated to the US when I was 6 months old, along with my mother and sister.  My father was already stateside, along with his entire family.  My mother wasn't so linsucky, she had to leave her 7 siblings and parents behind in Poland.  It took 10 years for her to raise the money to finally send me and my sister to Poland for the summer.  She also traveled with us, but stayed for a shorter time than my sister and I.  I remember the tears of happyness streaming down everyone's face when we reunited.  I met aunts, uncles, cousins and great aunts I had asked my mom so much about in the past.  We spent most of the summer in the village my mom grew up in. The town was called Scinawka Srednia (there was also a Scinawka Gorna and Scinawka Dolna, or Scinawka Central, Scinawka Hill, and Scinawka Lower).  My family got a kick out of my thick American accent and the half English, half Polish words I made up.  

[melissap429370]

I am a caregiver to my two children.  Finding time for work, taking care of the house as well as time for myself is a juggling act.  I often find that my needs aren't getting met because of all of the other tasks I'm taking on.  I definitely see the need to prioritze time for self-care. 

[StellaS286819]

When traveling with my mother, I try to time it so we don't arrive at our destination before check in time. After a long car trip, mother is too cranky for anything but a nap. I book motel room that has a kitchenette so that I can control for dietary needs.Our routine is to sight see together in the morning, and then to return to the room where I prepare and serve her lunch. She then takes a long afternoon nap, and I go out for a few hours by myself. I don't have dietary restrictions, so I'll often enjoy a meal out. In the evening we either swim or watch TV together.

[eb4268]

We haven't been able to afford a vacation in a few years, but the best one for all of us was a trip to Coronado Island near San Diego. We were all able to find plenty we wanted/were able to do (everyone in my family has one or more chronic conditions - it's kind of funny that I, with my lifelong fibromyalgia and multiple joint injuries am often the most capable person to handle something), between my son who wanted to split his time between the pool and ordering room service, my husband and I who wanted to do city stuff and go whale-watching, and my elderly mother-in-law who mostly wanted to sit on the balcony overlooking the ocean and read. It was a great recharge for everyone - I'd love to go again sometime.

[JaxonR703961]

Hello.

[KellyL682441]

Sometimes the best break is taking a little time for myself.  Sitting on the porch with a good book and listening to nature does wonders for me.

[BflaB223238]

Reading all of your stories has been very inspirational. We are soon to travel with my mother who just had a stroke and it will come with it's own challenges. It's nice to see other people having a good time with similar situations.

[BethCh]

Sometimes, the best break is just taking a moment to myself. I love spending alone time on my back porch, feeling the wind in my hair, the sun on my face and the soft cushions of the patio couch on my body. I don't need to have any sounds, save for the birds and other sounds of nature. I close my eyes and do a mini-meditation, just to clear my head and enjoy some deep breaths. I may not be able to truly get away for a vacation (because of time and money constraints), but doing this simple thing allows me to "escape," even for just a moment.

[jv5296]

travelling with my father who has a brain injury is hard, but with some good reaserch I can plan out our route and make sure our destination like say a hotel will be able to accomdate him. Lots of planning before makes for a smooth trip and less headaches. 

[t727623m]

Summer breaks with my mom nowadays are road trips to her home state where she can visit her siblings. Gone are the days of lying in the sun at the beach.  

[at5721]

My break is when a neighbor offers to watch the kids, my disabled cousin and my grandma so that I can run a few earns with out having to take everyone with me.

[amjol123]

Hi!

[m769748c]

I help look after my dad, who has narcolepsy.  His condition is pretty well controlled with medicine, but unforutnately his medicine sometimes causes him to sleepwalk and he's prone to falling.  I help keep an eye on him when he gets up and try to make sure he stays in bed or makes it back safely.

[to113]

It seems that I have gotten my summer break and it makes me unhappy! I'm 59 and I work full time and up until a couple of months ago I watched my 4 grandchildren. My daughter and her husband worked weekends and I didn't, so this worked out perfectly. My son-in-law started a new career in law enforcement and was transferred 4 hours away. I miss them so much but thankfully 4 hours isn't to far. I am looking forward to visiting them soon!

[emmaf665131]

hi i'm emma. I've been helping take care of my boyfriends mom that has cancer. Its stressful and sad but to see her happy and not lonely makes me feel good.

[AnnW901606]

I am a caretaker for not only my grandchildren but also my son in law.  It is a lot for me to handle and I get overwhelmed often.  I take a respite vacation every 3 months for a break and it helps me tremendously.  I travel to a city close to me and spend a weekend alone.  I get a nice hotel, take long baths, sleep late, visit the spa, shop and eat all my favorite foods.  It is just what the doctor ordered.  It really refuels my mind, body and spirit!

[JeffM444222]

Planning for a trip with an elderly parent requires lots of planning to be sure that everything is accessible to them, medical needs such as medication are planned for. 

[JuliaM599927]

I speak from experience. I’ve been with my partner for five years, and last year we took a break. I won’t go into detail, the details don’t matter – all that matters is it worked. We took a week apart after our relationship started going downhill. We did so because deep down we knew we didn’t want to end things – but something had to change. And it did. After a week apart, we came back together and talked. We both realised that we’d hated being away from each other. Despite the arguments we’d had before, we didn’t want to end things, we just needed to fix them. And this was the start to fixing our problems: talking. I can’t speak for my partner, but for me, a break was really helpful. It allowed me to take some time for myself to focus on what I wanted. There was nothing – and no one – there to cloud my judgement.

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2018/02/03/why-taking-a-break-can-be-really-beneficial-for-a-struggling-relation...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

[pooka1953]

Before my mom died a few months ago, we used to take road trips together. She loved the Southwest and although she had to use a walker, she was still able to get out and explore many  Indian ruins with me. I just made sure we made frequent restroom stops and that I carried enough snacks and water. I treasure the time we spent together.

[lc9760]

Taking my mother in law to the beach. Having to make it easier to walk on the beach and keeping her from getting hot and having low blood sugar.

[JenniferB242819]

I have been planning a trip to Ohio for the past 4 years. I currently live in Florida, and just moved back from Colorado. My grandparents, aunts and uncles all still live in Ohio. My first plan was to go to Ohio this summer. However, I miss the winter - the snow, the lights, the cold. So, my husband and I decided to take a couple of weeks off work in the winter to go visit our family in Ohio. The children will take some time off of school to visit their great grandparents and all of their cousins. We are so excited and can't wait to go back! 

[s447860b]

My name is Sheri Brown.  Due to an accident where I damage my spine and then had a stroke, I have been unable to drive or take vacation trips unless I have someone with me. My sisters Ann and Berda have been so helpful being my caregiver by making sure I have a way to get around. Because I need a bathroom break often; they also make sure they go with me in case I need any help.  Being disable can bring about depression and a helplessness feeling when you have no one to care for you.  But; they always make sure they check on me so I feel that I am not alone.  One of the things we have in common is that we have never gotten a chance to see the ocean.  I so desperately want to do this together on a sister trip with them.

[JeretS914322]

I'm taking my loved one to Disneyland FTW!

[mistyw193598]

I cre for my mom who has a rare illness and there is no cure . She can barely walk some days and I try to make her days a little easier by just going help with whatever she needs