Musings
Creative Rituals for Saying Goodbye: Artful Ways to Honor Their Memory (and My Own Healing)
Grief after caregiving ends doesn’t follow a script, just like becoming a caregiver didn't come with one (RUDE.) It can feel shapeless—like a fog that refuses to lift. When you’ve spent months or years pouring your time, energy, and heart into caring for someone with...
When You’re Caring for Someone with Dementia… and You Don’t Love Them
Here’s a truth that doesn’t make it into most caregiving brochures. Here’s something we don’t talk about enough: Not every caregiving story is built on love. So much of the language out there assumes you’re caring for a loved one. That phrase is everywhere—in...
Grieving After Dementia Caregiving: Guilt, Creativity, and Healing
Grief after caregiving for someone with dementia isn’t simple. It doesn't wait until the obituary is written or the sympathy cards are mailed. It sneaks in early—maybe the day your loved one forgets your name. Or when they become someone you no longer recognize. If...
Awkward Family Dynamics? Let’s Talk Boundaries When Everyone’s Got Opinions
Let’s be real: families are messy. Especially when caregiving is involved. Maybe you’re supporting a parent with a dementia diagnosis. Maybe you're grieving a loss and now juggling everyone else’s opinions on how you should do it. Whether it’s micromanaging uncles or...
Why Caregiving Makes You a Creative Badass (Even if You Think You’re Not Artsy)
You may not have a paint-splattered apron or a shelf full of sketchbooks, but trust me—you’re already an artist. If you’ve ever had to find a new way to coax someone into eating dinner, turned a stressful bedtime into a soothing ritual, or danced around a meltdown...
Ambiguous Grief: Mourning What’s Lost While They’re Still Here
Grief isn’t supposed to be this confusing. We expect it to come after a loss—after the goodbye, after the funeral, after the casseroles. But for dementia caregivers, grief doesn’t wait its turn. It shows up early. It lingers. It shapeshifts. And sometimes, it doesn’t...