Mark and Jacqueline have been married for 30 years. They have grown children who live in another state. Jacqueline's mother has moved in with the couple because she has Alzheimer's disease. Jacqueline is an only child and always promised her mother that she would care for her in her old age. Her mother is unaware of her surroundings and often calls out for her daughter Jackie when Jacqueline is in the room. Jacqueline reassures her mother that she is there to help, but to no avail.
Jacqueline is unable to visit her children on holidays because she must attend to her mother's daily needs. She is reluctant to visit friends or even go out to a movie because of her mother's care needs or because she is too tired. Even though she has eliminated most leisure activities with Mark, Jacqueline goes to bed at night with many of her caregiving tasks unfinished. She tries to visit with her mother during the day, but her mother rejects any contact with her daughter. Planning for the upcoming holidays seems impossible to Mark, because of his wife's inability to focus on anything except her mother's care.
Jacqueline has difficulty sleeping at night and is unable to discuss plans even a few days in advance. She is unable to visit friends and is reluctant to have friends visit because of the unpredictable behavior of her mother and her need to attend to the daily care.
Reflective Questions
- How do you think this situation reflects Jacqueline's sense of role performance?
- How do you think that Jacqueline may be contributing to her own health?
Please provide rationales for your answers. Please provide a citation for your answers.
Full Answer Section
Jacqueline's health is being affected by the situation in a number of ways. She is having difficulty sleeping, which can lead to fatigue and other health problems. She is also having difficulty managing stress, which can also lead to health problems. Additionally, she is not taking care of herself physically, which can also contribute to health problems.
Here are some things that Jacqueline can do to improve her situation and her health:
- Seek professional help: Jacqueline may want to consider talking to a therapist or counselor about the stress she is feeling. A therapist can help her to develop coping mechanisms and to manage her stress in a healthy way.
- Take care of herself: Jacqueline needs to make sure that she is taking care of her own physical and mental health. This means eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly. It also means finding time for activities that she enjoys and that help her to relax.
- Set boundaries: Jacqueline needs to set boundaries with her mother and with herself. She needs to let her mother know that she cannot be available to her 24/7. She also needs to set limits on how much time she spends caregiving.
- Get help from others: Jacqueline cannot do this alone. She needs to ask for help from her husband, her children, and other friends and family members. There are also many organizations that can provide support and resources for caregivers.
It is important for Jacqueline to remember that she is not alone in this. There are many people who have been in similar situations and who have found ways to cope and to improve their health. With the right support, Jacqueline can find a way to balance her caregiving responsibilities with her own needs and to improve her health.