Caregivers Support Group
A voluntary caregiver is a spouse, relative, friend or neighbor of a disabled person or child who assists with activities of daily living and assists those unable to fully take care of themselves. The challenges of a caregiver are unique and sometimes it's hard to find people to talk to who know what you're going through. Join the conversation and find others who...
Hello all! I've never posted to this group, not sure why just that it never occurred to me, but I could really use some advice. I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask, but here goes..
For the past six years I've been living with my parents as an unofficial caregiver (meaning that there's no legal documentation of my role here). My mother was injured in a work accident that resulted in partial paralysis and my father wasn't able to care for her on his own, especially because he works full time, so I stepped in. I won't go into the whole list of daily responsibilities this entailed.
During this time period, my sister, who is a single mom, was in a terrible car accident. During her recovery I took care of her two young children. After she recovered I continued to watch them while she finished her college degree.
Needless to say, I was consumed by family responsibility with little time or energy for anything else. However, situations have changed. My nephews are in school and my sister has a serious partner, so I'm no longer needed as a nanny. My parents were finally able to afford to move into a house that is completely wheelchair accessible, giving my mom back a majority of her independence. My grandmom also moved in (a separate story), so my mom is rarely alone in case of emergency.
This means I'm free to move back out, but I'm running into a few issues. I was 22 when all of this started with only 3 years worth of job and rental history, all of which is almost meaningless after so much time. According to the credit industry, I don't even exist. I didn't have time or opportunities to join volunteer groups or other organizations. Basically, outside of my family I'm a ghost.
How does a ghost write a resume? How do I ably for an apartment with no credit? How do I explain that six year gap? Oy.
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated :)
For the past six years I've been living with my parents as an unofficial caregiver (meaning that there's no legal documentation of my role here). My mother was injured in a work accident that resulted in partial paralysis and my father wasn't able to care for her on his own, especially because he works full time, so I stepped in. I won't go into the whole list of daily responsibilities this entailed.
During this time period, my sister, who is a single mom, was in a terrible car accident. During her recovery I took care of her two young children. After she recovered I continued to watch them while she finished her college degree.
Needless to say, I was consumed by family responsibility with little time or energy for anything else. However, situations have changed. My nephews are in school and my sister has a serious partner, so I'm no longer needed as a nanny. My parents were finally able to afford to move into a house that is completely wheelchair accessible, giving my mom back a majority of her independence. My grandmom also moved in (a separate story), so my mom is rarely alone in case of emergency.
This means I'm free to move back out, but I'm running into a few issues. I was 22 when all of this started with only 3 years worth of job and rental history, all of which is almost meaningless after so much time. According to the credit industry, I don't even exist. I didn't have time or opportunities to join volunteer groups or other organizations. Basically, outside of my family I'm a ghost.
How does a ghost write a resume? How do I ably for an apartment with no credit? How do I explain that six year gap? Oy.
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated :)
your dedication to their care shows how committed you can be and how much stress you can handle.
Try not to think of it as stressful, but as an adventure.
I wish you so much happiness and luck!
As for credit? open a savings at a credit union, and that really helps you get treated better by them than a bank.
my niece had to get one of those credit cards where you have the balance in their bank account to get her first card.
Rent? as long as they get a security deposit, you should be fine.