| I am a divorced woman 49 years old with a teenage son and an adult child. I am an adopted person. I was placed with my present family permanently at about age 4. Edna's career as a classroom teacher spanned 32 years. Thousands of young persons started on their way tooled with the educational foundation laid by this remarkable woman.
My mother's mental status and judgment began to show marked impairment about 1996. By 2000 Edna survived two strokes that left her nearly bedfast functionally. Edna's care gets me out of bed an hour early each morning. While I work my niece cares for her and receives a stipend income. My nieces infant son and five year old daughter, family pets and friends enrich my mother's life on a daily basis.
One day after work I declared, "mother, I feel like I have been in outer space today!" Before I could draw another breath her 95 year old wit sparked, "Well, did you have fun?" All the cares of the world melted with one hilarious query.
I worked in nursing homes 23 years. I can contrast my mother's quality of life to that of a nursing home resident with some expertise. To Edna's credit she taught me my best gift is investing myself enriching the lives of others.
Wish List:
1. To make my life as a caregiver easier I would like to have an understanding and supportive mate to share the experience.
2. The government could get behind the idea of promoting family caregiving in our country as a necessity. Our country cannot afford the cost of institutionalizing everyone that will need a caregiver.
3. I wish to actively promote a paradigm shift in our society from nursing home to care at home to meet the needs of the aged.
4. I wish to teach others how to provide care at home with education and training classes preparing to better serve and enjoy this reciprocal blessing of becoming a family caregiver. | 
