In an article published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, AARP’s Barry Jacobs shares the very different reactions of three women whose role as a caregiver came to an abrupt end after their mothers died due to complications from dementia. 
 
“With caregiving suddenly over,” writes Jacobs, “these daughters felt some relief, but they also were deeply grieving. They then immediately began grappling with a question as disconcerting as it is common: ‘Since Mom is gone and caregiving is over, what should the purpose of my life be now?’ After much struggle, they chose radically different paths forward.”
 
Jacobs goes on to suggest ways, “both before and after caregiving ends, for family caregivers to lay the groundwork for an easier transition and come out on the other side with a stronger sense of themselves.”
 
For more insights on the grief that sometimes follows caregiving and practical advice on how to work through it, here are two articles that previously appeared on CaregiverExchange.ca:
 
Coping with grief: a free expert resource
Letting go after a lifetime together