Support Needed to Recover from Mental Exhaustion

Thirty years ago, my aging, but by no means ancient mother-in-law came down with a mysterious illness that might today be diagnosed as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She became listless and depressed, lost her appetite and eventually grew too weak to leave her bed.

Up until then, she and her husband had been exuberant globe-trotters, always on the go; proud of their success and self-sufficient attitude towards life.

Though they could easily afford it, asking for outside support, or accepting it if offered, was unthinkable. My father-in-law chose to take on the job of caregiver to his wife of 50 years. And he did it well at first, often joking he was getting a nursing degree late in life.

The upshot of this misguided effort — two years later he suffered a nervous breakdown and shortly after that, a fatal heart attack. My mother-in-law lived on for two miserable decades more, convinced she had murdered her husband. She didn’t. He committed unintentional suicide. Not by caring enough for her, but by not caring enough about himself to get both of them the professional assistance they needed.

Nothing is more exhausting than caring for another life, especially the life of someone you love. While you’re giving that life all you’ve got, remember what it’s taking from you. You need support to recover from mental exhaustion. Bringing in an outside caregiver can literally save your life.

Here at Best Care we specialize in matching those in need of care with professional, in-home caregivers.

Contact us to find out about the options we offer.

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