They are everywhere. Yet no one sees them…
They may be your neighbors.
Or your co-worker’s Mother.
They live in million dollar estates and in one-room apartments.
They are among the wealthiest and the poorest.
Some speak. Some do not.
Some will hear you. Others are deaf.
They are lonely. And alone.
Many are confused and frightened.
They feel sad, angry, blessed, sorrowful, strong, helpless, happy, alone, delighted, depleted, frightened, forgotten, loved, scorned, respected, weak or wonderful.
Some have forgotten who they are.
They are America’s elderly.
Many are very ill. Many are dying.
They are everywhere. Yet no one sees them…
Their caregivers could be close friends or family members.
They could be strangers hired by referral or through Agencies.
These caregivers give without hope for validation.
They often toil without taking time for meals.
They have many sleepless nights.They feel sad, angry, blessed, sorrowful, strong, helpless, happy, alone, delighted, depleted, frightened, forgotten, loved, scorned, respected, weak or wonderful.
They are everywhere. Yet no one sees them…
From the book – A Caregiver’s Winding Road
Photo Credits
Photos from the Microsoft Office Clipart Collection
Guest Author Bio
Jeannie ThomasJeannie Thomas is the founder of The Inspired Caregiver.
Like many caregivers, she entered the rooms of caregiving through a series of unplanned events. After an auto accident and unable to perform her work in massage therapy, she offered to assist a neighbor who was dying from bone cancer. His family members lived outside California and they needed 24-hour care for their father. Jeannie felt that it was a privilege to care for this man during the final stage of his life and was with him when he died.
From that first encounter, she became a dedicated caregiver. She discovered that much of what she had learned from massage therapy about “being vs. doing” was very useful in her new work.
Read more about Jeannie Thomas here!
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Your words of insight, wisdom and finely tuned understanding of humanity are a shining inspiration for us all. Thank you for all you do, and what you bring to our lives. You’ve defined what it’s like to live a “RICH” life full of abundance into the golden years…. We appreciate you!
Jeannie, I love your words.
You are a light in a world that can feel so dark.
Huge hugs to you, CIndy, and thank you for your kind words.
Such insight can come only from the heart. How blessed are those you touched and cared for as they
slowly said good-bye to our earth. I just hope that when my own exit time comes I will be surrounded by
warmth and loving caretakers like you…
Jeannie, you are wonderful. You are bringing attention to the growing number of desperate people. We all grow older. One day, if not today, we could be an elder not being seen. Thank you for such a good book!
Thank you, Pam, for reading my book and sharing your observations. Awareness is the first step to making a difference… hopefully, by becoming aware of the many “hidden” elderly, our eyes and hearts will open to those around us!
As always, Jeannie, wonderful insight. “The elderly are everywhere… but no one sees them.” This is such a poignant statement. Thank you for all you’ve done to provide guidance and support to all the struggling caregivers…including me!
Thank you, Bobbie. You and yours hold a special place in my life! And your relationship with your own elders is an inspiration to us all.