Caregiver 2.0: From Burnout to Powerhouse

Are YOU a Caregiver Who Notoriously Lets Yourself Go While Taking Care of Your Loved One? Eighteen years ago Meriam Boldewijn burned out while taking care of her husband. Besides caregiving, she worked full-time and was also the cook, cleaner, driver, and more. Her husband was a diabetic, on dialysis, and had a kidney-pancreas transplant surgery. When she finally came out of that roller coaster, her brother had a stroke and was partially paralyzed. Today she enjoys her life in peace and harmony while taking care of her loved ones. Caregiving is challenging, both mentally and physically. Most of the time, your mind and body are not in balance. Struggling with prioritizing yourself, guilt, fear, exhaustion are just a few examples of the issues caregivers have to deal with. Being a caregiver requires a lot of strength, courage, and patience, mainly because you are not obligated to do it. However, you are doing it every day, because of the love towards your loved one. Still, love isn't enough to "recharge your battery" overnight – you NEED TO TAKE PROPER CARE OF YOURSELF before you can take the best care of someone else.