Theresa Wilbanks' caregiving journey began unexpectedly when she lived abroad in Europe with her husband. As her father aged into his 90s, she took on more of an advocacy and support role from a distance. However, a series of health scares brought Theresa back home to the United States to serve as her father's primary caregiver. She dove headfirst into the intense role, unprepared for the emotional toll it would take. Through trial and error, Theresa navigated countless challenges with her father's independence, medical management, and resistance to help. She experienced deep burnout as small conflicts like spilled blueberries came to represent the daily struggles.

Determined to find sustainable strategies, Theresa worked to understand her own emotions and reactions within the caregiving relationship. She embraced mindfulness practices and set boundaries to better support her father while also caring for herself. Theresa's realization of accepting her fate as a caregiver rather than resisting it proved a turning point that allowed her to find meaning and growth in the experience. By openly sharing her journey, Theresa has helped countless other caregivers feel less alone and equipped them with practical tools for building resilience.

Today, Theresa continues her work to help caregivers through her writing, speaking, and role as founder of Sustainable Caregiving. Through the 12 strategies she developed on her own challenging river of a journey, she aims to reframe caregiving as an opportunity rather than a burden. Theresa's authentic storytelling provides hope, insight, and valuable lessons for anyone navigating the complex emotions and realities of caring for an aging loved one.

About Theresa:

Theresa Wilbanks is an author, speaker, podcast host, and founder of Sustainable
Caregiving. Theresa’s passion and purpose are to guide family caregivers on their
journey as they manage and provide care for a family member.

Theresa’s career enabled her to lead teams and develop training programs. She left it behind to live in France and didn’t look back until caring for her father became necessary. The caregiving experience inspired her to found Sustainable Caregiving and guide fellow family caregivers on their journey.

She became a Certified Caregiving Consultant and realized that more was needed as she began connecting caregivers to resources. Using skills developed in the corporate setting, Theresa deconstructed what made caregiving so overwhelmingly challenging. Through trial, error, and tears, she created the 12 Sustainable Caregiving Strategies to help caregivers navigate their journey empowered with confidence.

Theresa shares her vision of a sustainable caregiving journey and offers hope to family caregivers through speaking and in her book Navigating the Caregiver River: A Journey to Sustainable Caregiving. 

Go to https:www.sustainablecaregiving.com for more information on how to

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Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver

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