I just calculated that by the end of this summer "vacation," my son with Autism and I will have spent 1,230 waking hours together. As caregivers of someone with special needs, you know how exhausting this long term and intense commitment is. This commitment involves one on one supervision, behavior management, social skills development, and sensory processing routines. Summer time used to exploit all of my weaknesses, but this year, after many changes to my personal and professional priorities, I have finally achieved consistent peace and joy. There is still an underlying restlessness to do more things on my own, but my son's progress and sense of humor keep me on track. I believe I will actually make it through the summer without blowing my lid:) [Quote that made me laugh this summer...because I used to get sucked into situations and then get upset: from Mr. Krabs on Songebob: "One more outburst like that out of me and you're fired!" ]
For caregivers, the stress of providing long term care for a loved one has been shown to reduce the immune system. This article explains how we can improve our resilience, which will ultimately allow us to have a more enjoyable experience with our loved one. Let me know your thoughts and how you cope with the daily stressors.
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