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Suzanne Mintz
Standing up for Caregivers
By Lyn Mettler
"We needed to understand that we were in different places along the grief path and that we had different ways of dealing with our pain," she says. "It took us two separations before we figured it all out."
The couple's last separation lasted more than two years before they realized that they simply reacted in their own unique ways emotionally and that neither way was better. The pair finally decided to accept and respect each other and move on with their lives.
Mintz found caregiving to be a lonely experience, and it wasn't until 1991, more than 10 years after Steven's diagnosis, that she found a friend in caregiving. During a weekend getaway with Fowler, who was caring for her aging mother, the pair opened up to one another about the trials and tribulations of caring for their loved ones.
They realized there was no forum where they could find information and emotional support and meet the many other people out there like them so they decided to create a newsletter dedicated to caregiving. Two years later, that newsletter turned into the NFCA, which today has helped thousands of caregivers.
Mintz feels it is vital to talk about your experiences as a caregiver. "Family caregiving can be isolating," she says. "That's why it is important to find other caregiver friends to validate your thoughts and feelings. No, you are not crazy – we all think and feel many of the same things."
