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This week, Rayna Neises, your host, talks with Dr. Aaron Blight.  Dr. Blight is the author of “When Caregiving Calls: Guidance as You Care for a Parent, Spouse, or Aging Relative.”  He is also the founder of a consulting firm dedicated to those who care for the aging population.  In addition to his professional knowledge and expertise, he draws from his firsthand experience as a family caregiver for his mother-in-law.  The following insights are shared:

• A transition to family caregiver can happen suddenly due to an accident or unexpected diagnosis. However, it can also happen gradually over time as you begin to perform more and more tasks and eventually realize that the relationship has changed.
• Although everyone has their own individual caregiver journey, there are common challenges and experiences that they all experience.
• Caregiving by its very nature is reactive, but there are things that you can do that will make the situation better and easier for both you and your loved one.
• Reflection questions can help the family caregiver to think about things that they would rather not and to apply examples from other’s situations to their own journey.
• Two ways for family caregivers to get help:
  • outsource tasks to provide needed respite
  • self-care
• Both are important so that you can be your best self and be effective in the caregiving role.
• Participating in virtual family caregiver workshops can provide some anonymity and allow for some raw honesty to come through.
• We pay for competent care, but we yearn for people who are mindful of our humanity and who can provide compassion and empathy as well.