A Special Caregivers Tool

When writing Thoughts for Alzheimer’s Caregivers, I cherry picked my daily journal entries because I wanted to capture our story without too much repetition. I just finished rereading the five-year journal and rediscovered how heart-wrenching Alzheimer’s was for me. While there were peaks and valleys, the deepest valleys were more prolonged than I had remembered. But I was also reminded about how comparatively fortunate I was to have excellent professional advice, a strong support group, and a loving daughter who shared the trek with me. And I realized there was a hidden tool in my caregiver toolbox that made a huge difference in the journey: my journal.

There is a loneliness inherent in dementia caregiving, which is compounded by stress, sleeplessness, frustration, and the inability to escape. In the evenings after Gayla went to bed, I retreated to my home office and unleashed my thoughts and feelings on my computer. Rereading my entries revealed how important this was in educating and supporting me through the process.

Writing my journal was cathartic and helped reduce stress. It increased my awareness, moderated my emotional swings, and was a sedative that helped me go to sleep at night – at least for a little while. Entering my thoughts into a journal clarified my thinking, leading to a broader perspective, a better understanding of the disease, and more thoughtful decisions. It helped me uncover questions, build my knowledge base, and reassess our situation as the journey progressed. My journal became my companion. For me, nightly journaling was therapeutic and comforting.

Journaling did not solve all the issues I faced. Despite clarifying my thoughts about the disease, it did not result in improving my self-care, although it should have. It did not rectify my inability to find time for myself. While it encouraged self-reflection, I’m not sure it significantly increased my creative thinking about solving all the problems dementia presents. But now, in the wake of Gayla’s passing, my journal has become a treasure that I will always appreciate.

Not many caregivers will be as interested in extensive journaling as I was. But I do believe that taking time periodically to record your thoughts will be beneficial to you and improve your role as a caregiver. It will help you digest, process, and comprehend your caregiving responsibilities. It will give you a broader perspective and an avenue to vent and reduce stress. And by preserving your thoughts, you will also create a valuable future gift to yourself. I recommend it!