When Sharon talks about her mom Shirley, she will regale you with stories of dog chases, police chases, and caregiver chases. Though she finds amusement in those stories now, at the time, they weren’t funny at all.
Like so many families experience, after Sharon’s father passed away the cracks in her mother’s facade began to appear. It wasn’t long before Sharon and her siblings realized that Shirley couldn’t be left alone. Sharon and her sisters rotated staying with Mom.
Sharon recounts the day programs, the professional caregivers, and the hospitalizations, all part of the puzzle of care. Sadly, Shirley was one of the many lost during COVID, but Sharon focuses on the joy her mother brought to those around her.
Even as her cognition declined and daily activities became more challenging, Shirley was a perfectionist at decorating the Christmas tree. Every ornament carefully considered had to be placed just so. Maybe a reminder for all of us, to be present in the moment.
Sharon said, “Caring for my mother taught me so much about helping others. My first career was helping special ed children and now my second career is helping seniors. Kind of full circle if you think about it.”
As Sharon talks about her mother, you can hear the love in her voice and her desire to bring joy to another person’s life. Sharon remembers a particularly tough client. “No matter what I tried, I struggled to make her happy and one day, out of the blue, she smiled. It made my whole week.”
Thank you, Sharon, for being a Family Caregiver and for always working to provide the best home care in Westborough, MA.
