What the new year will bring

With a new year comes feelings of anticipation and trepidation for many of us. Especially as caregivers, sometimes the future can seem bleak, without a light at the end of the tunnel. While I’m all about planning ahead, sometimes we must live in the moment.

After all, none of us are guaranteed more than the very breath we are taking right now.

I am torn between trying to embrace each moment and each day with also trying to prepare for my future as Mom’s caregiver. I also want to continue the project I’ve started to honor my father, and all of those who have battled Alzheimer’s. These obligations must be balanced with my need to earn an income again as well.

It’s a tricky balance. The road map for caregivers is littered with unknown situations and destinations. The line between a loved one being able to live independently to needing assisted living can be murky.

A year is nothing more than a new set of numbers on the calendar. There’s nothing magical about a new year, but it is as good a time as any to refocus our minds and efforts on the important things in our lives.