From the mundane details of each day to moments of medical emergencies to treatment plans to COVID safety, caregivers are constantly making decisions. In this episode, Justin and Allison talk about what that looks and feels like in their daily lives and how their personalities impact their decision-making skills.
Justin and Allison discuss the ways in which caregiving impacts their physical, emotional, and mental health, what burnout feels like to them, and how supporters can help.
Justin and Allison talk about how it feels when caregivers are told to find meaning in their hardships and to celebrate and seek well-being through their roles. Spoiler Alert: It doesn’t feel good. They discuss what does feel supportive and what kind of spaces they would like to see more of in the caregiving community.
Allison and Justin discuss how, on top of their caregiving responsibilities, they are weighed down with outside pressures, such as feeling the need to advocate on behalf of their spouses’ diseases, the constant reminders to take care of themselves, and the new pressures and questions surrounding protocols now that things are starting to open up. They discuss the impact these pressures have on them, what they do to release some of that pressure, and what others can do to help.
Justin and Allison talk openly about the state of their mental health before becoming caregivers and the ways this role has impacted their anxiety and depression. Justin also shares how a new medication is impacting his wife's overall well-being.