In the preface to my anthology, Take Care: Tales, Tips, and Love from Women Caregivers, I wrote "Today being the main caregiver may be more vital to understand than ever". As women have children later and elders live longer, women especially are challenged by competing demands and shrinking resources. Many of us have elderly parents in a time of growing dementia or increasing frailty or growing children who have their own challenges. We may have ailing partners, family members or friends. And no matter our age, we are there for them in caregiving roles, well before we may have expect to be there.
My own experience with caregiving began when I was young. My parents had married late, and both suffered from chronic conditions as they aged. By the time I was in high school I had to take on many of the demanding tasks of keeping a home going. I understood early what it means to be a caregiver, although I did not have the usual challenges expressed in this essay.
Now, when changing demographics challenge the world, we need to realize that caregivers are a special group of people, usually women, but also men, who deserve to be respected, protected by labor laws, and free from isolation and fear. We are so fortunate to have them in our lives when we need them. Surely we can be their caregivers financially, fairly, and emotionally.
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