Families caring for aging adults have and will continue to reach unprecedented numbers affecting every corner of our society.   We MUST address the complex needs of this population who are the foundation of long-term care nationwide, exceeding Medicaid long-term care spending in all states (National Alliance for Caregiving and Overcare, March 2009).  Jo Horne, author of Caregiving:  Helping an Aging Love One created the Caregiver's Bill of Rights. These are powerful and impactful words of hope and guidance for each and every person caring for a family member or friend:

Looking back to my years a family caregiver, I wonder if I'd worn a badge that read "Fragile - Handle with Care",  it might have been easier for others to understand me.  Why I often had puffy eyes from crying, or scatter brained from sleep deprivation.  I can remember a certain period of time when I was issued a number of traffic violations...speeding through a school zone of all things (my children were both in elementary school at the time).  Thank goodness this was before cell phones.  There were times when I simply wasn't myself.  I was emotional, physically and spiritually worn out and burned out.  Thinking clearly was often a challenge because I was overwhelmed.