Global Cooperation

           I don’t like to tell Caregivers what to do, because there’s enough of that to go around already. However, if I could suggest a goal, it would be to strive for “global cooperation”. The best thing you can do for your world, is to get others around you that live in this world with you to cooperate. I define “cooperation” as working together towards a common goal and/or understanding. It’s actively working together, not passively, and not working against each other.

In looking at my own situation, I would have said we all cooperated. However, I set the bar low in that I didn’t ask for help like I needed and took whatever crumbs people were willing to give. I would not say this was active cooperation, I would just say that there was no overt contention. If you saw us all, it would’ve looked like we were working together, but I didn’t FEEL like we were working together, and more honestly, I felt like the workload was unfairly distributed with the bulk of the heavy lifting on my back. Worse, I felt that arrangement was satisfactory for those that had the lighter load, and that hurt, because I thought they cared about me and now felt that had to be re-evaluated. So, what does this all mean to Caregivers?

                Make global cooperation a priority and seek support of family and friends, enlist their help, ASK for their help, and assess whether or not they are willing and able to cooperate. Are they just along for the ride? Or are they actively making the effort to partner with you and work together to take care of your loved one and make sure that you get the support you need? Global cooperation in Caregiving may sound as difficult as it does on the world-stage as we often hear about it on the news. A symbiotic not parasitic relationship is possible. It can be done and I believe it has to be done. It is something you build together to achieve mutual understanding about your loved one’s needs, your needs as Caregiver, and their role as their conscience guides. It requires open and honest communication and consistent effort. Give it a try, and don’t give up!