“The word "hospice" comes from the Latin "hospitium" meaning guesthouse. It was originally described a place of shelter for weary and sick travelers returning from religious pilgrimages. During the 1960's, Dr. Cicely Saunders began the modern hospice movement by...
Caroline H. Sheppard, MSW
Caregiving can be traumatic
In 1997, I took a two-year leave of absence from my position as a School Social Worker. This decision was driven, not by my desire to leave, but by a consideration for my spouse, who wanted to move near his family in Florida. In my mind, this move was going to be...
Why Is It So Difficult to Ask for and/or Accept Help as Caregivers?
Once in the throes of caregiving, it is easy to get lost in the mire of all the moving parts. It is a “job” that often requires a caregiver’s attention 24/7. Not all caregiving is created equally, nor the same; however, one thing we all have in common is that as...
The Common Threads of Caregiving
When I became a long and near distance caregiver in 1999 for the first time, to my knowledge there was nothing like the caregiver support group online that we now have thanks to The Caregiver Space! I never had the opportunity to participate in a support group,...
Five Long Distance Caregiving Experiences and Lessons Learned
Over a fourteen year period, I had five different family members who needed help quickly and unexpectedly. Did I live near any of them? NO! Was it worth it? Yes it was! Would I do it again? Yes, but admittedly with some trepidation. Was any of it planned? Absolutely...