TakingCareofGrandma.com

Rick’s Story: going from bachelor pad with Grandpa to the Memory Care Facility

I met Rick in the Caregiver Collective, a Facebook group for millennials who care.

I’m honored to have Rick share his experience as a male millennial caregiver. Rick cares for his grandpa.

My interview with Rick helped reinforce the falsehoods of two common misconceptions about caregiving:

  1. caregiving is a female thing. Within the millennial generation, it’s almost a 50/50 split between males and females.
  2. caregiving is not location-based. It doesn’t matter where you nor your caree live… whether you live together or separately, close by or far apart, if you are contributing to the well-being and daily life of someone you love, you are a caregiver.

Watch this video and lean in as Rick shares

  • how he feels he was in a right-place-right-time situation
  • the emotions and challenges involved in watching his grandpa decline
  • and how he is recovering as a “post-caregiver” and coping with guilt after his grandpa transitioned to a facility.

In our interview, Rick shared the importance of reaching out for help, as well as not getting caught up on comparing your caregiving sandwich to that of others.

Rick is a great guy and an example for many to follow. His love and commitment to his grandpa shines through his story.

I love that he found a lady willing to support his caregiving role. Join me in wishing them the best of luck for a long and happy future!

INTRODUCING TCG Blogiversary Celebrity Guest: Rick Cabral

Rick Cabral is a millennial family caregiver who cares for his grandfather.

It was so great getting to know Rick and very important to me to share his experience because the male family caregiver experience is often overlooked. However, research shows that millennials are caring in increasing numbers. In fact, nearly half (47 percent) of millennial
family caregivers are men (AARP, 2018)

In our time together, Rick shared what it was like to care for both of his grandparents, then support his grandfather through the loss of his grandmother, and help him through the transition to assisted living.

Rick (like many other millennials), at times, struggled to find a work-life-caregiving balance, but managed to find the love of his life, who even went out on dates with Rick and his grandpa.

Rick touched on the guilt that caregivers often feel while trying to pursue their own life aspirations and the common feelings of loss and remorse that caregivers have when their loved ones have to move into a facility.

One of my favorite things Rick shared during our interview was the following quote:

I can’t wait for you to hear Rick’s story at the TCG Blogiversary part on May 23! At the celebration, you will meet Rick and four other amazing family caregivers. I promise you will be inspired!!!

Get the details about the festivities and sign up for updates about the TCG Blogiversary here: http://rachelh15.sg-host.com/blogiversary/

@takingcareofgrandma