responsibility continues for months or years, exhaustion can build gradually.
Many caregivers do not consider themselves caregivers. They simply believe they are doing what a husband, wife, son, daughter,or other family member should do.
Because of this, they may not ask for help until they are already overwhelmed.
Friends and relatives may also fail to see how difficult the situation has become.
From the outside, a couple may appear happy and devoted while privately dealing with fear, exhaustion, financial concerns, and uncertainty about the future.
The Difficult Reality of Serious Illness
continues on the next page.
Serious illness can change a family’s life in ways that are difficult to predict.
Someone who was onceindependent may eventually need constant assistance. Simple tasks can become difficult, and medical problems can affect both the patient and the people caring for them.
For an older couple, thesituation can be
