A Conversation About: Caregiving Part 1 My Personal Experience

In this episode, the X-Podcast team reacts to and discusses caregiving for parents at home versus institution. In this episode Xiomara and her team begin the podcast caregiving series. She tells some of her story detailing the personal experience she lived as a primary caregiver to her parents for 20 years. Xiomara gives real life examples and provides tips for caregivers that can help them manage their mental health through the process. Xiomara discloses a little about surviving 9/11 s and how that experience led her to change the trajectory of her life by intentionally choosing to become her parents primary caregiver for the rest of their lives. She did so from 2003 - 2023, 20 years. She considers that decision to be her life’s labor of love. The team also discusses the money, insurance and family situations and implications involved in caregiving, including her personal story. Some key points she discusses include how and why she took on the role of primary caregiver and what some of the experience was like. She discusses the benefits, challenges and consideration to choosing home care versus institutional care. Xiomara covers what the benefits and challenges can be as well as what types of institutions are options. Other topics covered are factors to consider when choosing home care asn institutional care. She covers what caregiver burnout, the signs of burnout and how to manage caregiver burnout. IN addition, she discusses how to get support from others, how to deal with feelings of shame and resentment and what to do when feeling overwhelmed. They discuss how and why we as family members take on caregiving. How different it is for everyone and the personal and professional sacrifices and adjustments we make to do so. Xiomara discusses how she was able to prepare for it in contrast to others who do not have that option. They discuss the different norms in different cultures. The benefits and the challenges it takes to be a caregiver. It is an unpaid job. Major time commitment. Potential for caregiver burnout. The considerations such as constant assessment for the needs of the people you’re caregiving for and making important and scary decisions. Xiomara discusses the challenges as well.