Rayna Neises, your host, interviews Diane Clark. She has served in various positions with the church for over 20 years where she has honed her gifts of serving and administration. She especially loves her roles as wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, but counts serving as a caregiver as one of her greatest privileges. She feels that experiencing death with someone is as beautiful and miraculous as seeing the birth of a baby. She shared the following recalling her caregiving experiences with her father and father-in-law:
- Support from friends and Family is so important and spending time with small children can help the Elderly.
- Getting outside help, even just once a week for two hours, allows you to just getaway.
- There will be times when you say, “I can’t do this anymore.”
- Caregiving is hard, builds your character, and has a greater impact on your life than you think.
- Your loved one needs help, but it does not always have to be you.
- What you are doing right now if irreplaceable and valuable beyond your understanding in the moment.
- The caregiving journey is just as hard as you feel like it is, but be encouraged that when you look back, you would do it again.
Rayna Neises understands the joys and challenges that come from a season of caring. She helped care for both of her parents during their separate battles with Alzheimer’s over a thirty-year span. She is able to look back on those days now with no regrets – and she wishes the same for everyone caring for aging parents.
Rayna is the author of No Regrets: Hope for Your Caregiving Season, an ICF certified coach, the host of “A Season of Caring” podcast, Positive Approach® to Care (PAC)Independent Certified Trainer and speaker who is passionate about offering encouragement, support, and resources for regret-free caring aimed at preventing family caregivers from aimlessly wandering through this important season of life.
Rayna lives on a farm in southeast Kansas with her husband, Ron, and small pack of adorable dogs. She is the baby of her family, but most would never guess that. She is a former teacher who enjoys crafts of all kinds and spending time with her grandkids most of all.
