Many caregivers find themselves in the caregiving role unexpectedly. Lauren, a millennial caregiver who resides in Northern California, shares her experience as the sole caregiver for her mom in her blog, “Little Spark of Madness.” With this blog, Lauren hopes to not only bring the quiet prevalence of dementia to the forefront of public conversation, but to also connect the millions of caregivers who may feel isolated and misunderstood. More specifically, she wants to help build a network for the one in four caregivers who are millennials, like herself, for which there are little to no resources distinctly for their demographic.
Lauren recently shared an anecdote about her morning routine with her mom.
Every work day begins the same. Mom lives one town over from me and hasn’t been driving for over a year. My routine starts with listening to fifteen minutes of a favorite podcast, usually true crime, human interest, or something science based, on my drive over to her house. The moment I pull up in front of her driveway I quickly switch to a carefully curated playlist on Spotify. Often the music rotates between bands like the Beach Boys or Fleetwood Mac, familiar and beloved songs that I love, but more importantly, that she loves. Some days call for something upbeat and modern, like Beyonce or Maggie Rogers. Music lifts her mood and engages her. It brightens her face and gifts us with a moment of untainted joy.
Read the full blog here. Lauren’s story is a reminder that the smallest moments and actions can have a huge impact on care recipients.
Lauren has received support and resources from Redwood Caregiver Resource Center. To find resources where you live, click here.
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