I remember driving home from taking care of my 86 year old parents, and thinking that I needed to reward myself for all that I did for them. Since a rarely got a “thank you” and often was in the middle of their bitter arguments, I really need something.

I ruminated about ice cream or chocolate, but that meant I would need to go exercise to work off the calories. I considered clothes shopping, but shopping always depleted my energy, and what I need now was to be energized. My next idea was a great specialty coffee from Starbucks. The problem was all of the caffeine and sugar. What I finally decided on was a decaf coffee. Reality is awful!

Here are some suggestions that I think might be of more help.
Get a mentor or support group
Don’t do everything yourself. Learn to delegate.
Assess Mom and Dad’s situation.
Get all of the documents amassed
Explore options for health, housing, meals, and transportation
Take care of your own nuclear family. Caregiving stresses marriages.
Take care of yourself…walk, read, soak, and socialize