Healthcare professional Cassie Abel brings over twenty years of experience to our discussion on caregiving's emotional challenges and the guilt that sometimes accompanies them. Cassie's caregiving journey with her mother, Carol, diagnosed with ALS in 2020, has shaped her outlook on caregiving. Carol inspired Cassie's Love for healthcare, and when her Health began to decline, Cassie stepped in to provide care, gaining firsthand experience with the challenges that many caregivers face. Cassie's insights make her a valuable resource for all.
Cassie vividly remembers her mother, a “bulletproof” woman who devoted her life to the Nursing home industry. Cassie followed in her mother's footsteps and became a nursing home administrator. However, life suddenly turned when her mother was diagnosed with ALS. The emotional challenges and guilt began to weigh heavily on Cassie's heart as she balanced her career, Family, and caregiving responsibilities. As her mother's health declined, Cassie experienced the heart-wrenching reality of watching the woman who had once been her pillar of strength gradually fade away. Cassie found solace in her blog, where she shared her mother's story, drawing strength from her mother's unwavering determination to live life to the fullest.
In this episode, you will learn to:
- Navigate the emotional landscape and manage guilt associated with caregiving.
- Recognize the crucial factors to consider when choosing dependable caregivers for your family members.
- Master the art of juggling work, personal life, and caregiving tasks in harmony.
- Understand the importance of self-care and Mental Health to ensure personal well-being during the caregiving journey.
- Acquire knowledge and Wisdom from past caregiving experiences to enhance your own approach.Â
About Cassie:
Cassie Abel resides in Vincennes, Indiana, with her husband, Scott, and their two children, Emma and Archer. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare leadership, Cassie primarily worked in the nursing home setting, starting as an Admissions Coordinator, moving to Executive Director, and then taking on a new challenge in the hospital setting. Cassie now serves as the Director of Patient Experience at the local hospital. In her role, Cassie works with providers and caregivers to achieve excellence in service delivery and leads the Patient Liaison department in addressing patient and family concerns. Cassie is an active member of her local Rotary, whose motto is “Service Above Self” – a passion she carries over into her personal and professional life. Cassie holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and a license as a Healthcare Facility Administrator. Currently, Cassie is working towards her MBA and writing her first book based on her experience as a caregiver.
Connect with Cassie:
Twitter: @CassieAbel2
Instagram: @CASSIENABEL2
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Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver
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Known since childhood as “The Elliott Girls” or simply, “The Girls”, it makes sense that we work together to support our mother, and each other. Our trio begins with Jenefer Jane “JJ” who was and always will be “in charge”. She’s the peacekeeper. The responsible one, ensuring Natalie and Emilie remain alive. Next is Natalie, the middle child, who was and always will be Miss Congeniality. She’s the athlete. The rebel responsible for three babysitters exiting the summer of ’84. Then there is Emilie, the youngest, who was and always will be “the baby”. At 6’1”, she is the sensitive and quiet soul. The one responsible for the guinea pig that begged for lettuce and the stray dog we adopted from the bus stop.
After high school we went separate ways, from New Mexico to North Carolina. JJ would go on to get her Master’s in Business Administration and work in the finance world before partnering with her now husband, Dexter, to run a variety of businesses. Natalie would go on to get her Master’s in Social Work degree, and work in the mental health field, advocating for children and families to receive the most appropriate services. Natalie would marry and divorce early on but later marry Jason. Emilie would exit college early to marry and gift us with Owen and twins, Maxx and Natalie Jane aka “The Kids”. Emilie would later divorce and work with county government, focusing much time on caring for the kids.
The source of the sisterhood falls to Jim aka “Big Jim” and Connie, small town high school sweethearts married for almost 40 years.
In 2005, at the age of 52, mom would be diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. She hid the disease for years behind dad’s 6’2” frame. The tremors and sudden inability to move were both calmed and steadied by his arm and simple presence. He was her rock. Our rock. Close family and friends knew of her chronic illness, but to the rest of the world, everything was “fine”. Life would turn upside down when our dad unexpectedly passed in 2011 of a massive heart attack at the age of 58. The assumption was Dad would always be mom’s caregiver but that wasn’t God’s plan.
Mom would spend the years following our father’s death desperately seeking a cure for Parkinson’s while trying to manage her symptoms. As the years went by, the cruel symptoms associated with the disease increased, negatively impacting her body while her mind remained clear and in tune. We lived our lives checking in to make sure she was “okay” but knowing the day would come when we had to do more. And then it did. The summer of 2019 changed everything. That’s where the real caregiver story begins for us. Little did we know she would be only the beginning of our caregiving journey.
In March 2022, Natalie’s husband, Jason, was diagnosed with head and neck cancer. From the first time Jason detected something off about the swollen lymph nodes in his neck, to the formal diagnosis, and the decision to move to New York City to participate in a clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the journey would push them to their limits. The silver lining of his diagnosis was the cancer brought them closer to God, restoring their faith in Him while also experiencing a myriad of blessings through the kindness of family, friends, and strangers. Their story is a testimony that will inspire and offer hope.
