Caregiving Lesson: Making long-term plans may be difficult if you cannot predict how or when a serious illness can interfere with your plans.
Long-term planning can be a challenge for someone struggling with a serious illness. It is not uncommon for the best of plans to be undone by an unforeseen medical emergency. Caregivers may need to adapt the way they plan in order to care for the needs of the patient. Family and friends who have not experienced long-term illness may struggle to understand your hesitancy to make long-range plans. As a caregiver, you may be able to help others understand the need to keep things “flexible.”
