An open letter: Dear son/daughter, I take care of your mom.

[tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN]

Dear son or daughter:

I take care of your mom. She lives at the end of the hall and has flowers on her door and peppermints in a dish by her chair. She is here in the nursing home because her health is failing.........

Read the rest of this open letter written to the adult child of a LTC resident.....one who is grieving and feeling guilty for having to place her in a nursing home.

I know that you are grieving. Yes, grieving. This is your mother. The woman who raised you and cared for you when you were sick and helped you become the adult you are today. Despite challenges in your relationship over the years, you love her. And you are afraid to acknowledge that she is dying.

I want you to know that I hear you and I see you and I understand what you are going through. And I admire your dedication and commitment to your mom. I recognize the special person she is, and I care for her, too — that's why I became a nurse practitioner. I hope that helps in some small way during this difficult time.

This is a great reminder to those of you caring for elderly folks, whether it is in the hospital, LTC, or wherever you work....... That little elderly lady or gentleman is someone's mom or dad. Hopefully they have a loving family, but if not, their caregivers are their family now. We can provide the loving-kindness that everyone seeks. This is why most all of us became nurses.......to help care for those who are not able to care for themselves, remembering that nursing care involves more than just caring for their physical needs. We need to care for all their their needs......body, mind, and soul.

To read the rest of the letter, go to Open letter to the child of a parent in a nursing home