About Us

Caregivers Awareness Initiative

The Guiltless Caregiver is a community of individuals and organizations who care about those who give care to others. We know and understand the importance of giving selfless care to our loved ones and others, but are often unintentionally forgotten, isolated and/or otherwise taken for granted.

Our focus is on making our communities
aware of our forgotten Caregivers.

Our Mission and Vision

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to give caregivers permission, without guilt to live their own lives while performing the awesome responsibility of caring for another. To promote self-care while giving care.

To create a caregiver’s community where we can share and support each other through virtual means, i.e. Social Media groups, phone and or teleconference meetings.

Provide personal care by partnering with providers of products and services to enhance the physical, emotional, and overall well-being of full time caregivers.

Provide resources, training and information to help caregivers gain confidence and have tools to withstand the emotional strain and the many emotions including guilt which is associated with caregiving.

VISION STATEMENT

Caregivers agree that we are often abandoned, neglected, and/or forgotten by individuals, agencies and organizations while the focus is placed on those we are caring for. We have a passion for caregivers, being one ourselves. We will solely center our attention on the caregiver to convey that same sense of importance as those we care for.

We are developing a community of caregivers with those who are caregivers and those who understand the tremendous task we perform. We seek to address the needs of caregivers, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually, by partnering with individuals, organizations and agencies to provide the support we need.

By providing the assistance needed for caregivers to perform our duties, surely more people will be inspired and equipped to care for their loved ones with the compassion and confidence needed that they so well deserve.

As former first lady Rosalyn Carter so masterly said, “There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.”

My Story

Founder and CEO,

R. Lee Moore, Sr.

Having over ten years as caregiver to two different family members, I have become well acquainted with the toll caregiving can take on various areas of one's life. Trust me, it's extremely rewarding, most involuntary and often more than we are equipped or expected to handle. But their lives, those we care for, are WORTH EVERY MINUTE.

The Truth About
Long Term Caregiving -

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good

"Thank you darling for taking care of me. I don't know what I would do without you. I love you so much. Do you need me to help you? Ok, I'll just relax and watch this movie you put on for me."

The Bad

"Can you help me? I need to get up and go to the restroom. I'm sorry I'm causing you so much trouble. Don't worry, I won't be around much longer. Maybe you should just put me in a home."

The Ugly

"Who are you? My daughter? No, I don't know you. Stop telling me to go to sleep! You just want to hurt me and take all my money. LEAVE ME ALONE!! Somebody HELP ME! She's trying to kill me! GET OUT!"

"I'm frustrated
and I can't get out."

—Feeling guilty for wanting a break...

"Come on... pick up."
—Feeling abandoned and becoming bitter...

Stories from the Guiltless Caregiver

No Longer Resentful

When Mom became ill and needed radiation, I took her to the treatment center daily, for nearly two months. It made sense for me to drive her since I lived closer than my sister Diana who lived a few hours away.

Over time, I realized I was starting to resent her for not offering to do more; perhaps to come and spend a couple of nights and do the transport herself. (In reality, I had fully volunteered to drive mom and never “confessed” to Diana that I was feeling stressed).

After all, it seemed like a relatively “easy task” to drive mom, whom we both loved, back and forth to her much-needed radiation treatments. By the way, it did take about 4 hours daily! Looking back on it I realized I had underestimated the stress this commitment would be for me. Perhaps I was too prideful to “confess” I needed support and then got angry at my sister who had no idea this was how I was feeling!

I should have been honest and direct with Diana (and with myself) by telling her the daily grind of driving was wearing me down and I needed a break. If she would only take over this seemingly simple task for a few days, I could regroup and continue without feeling the strain.

I did learn my lesson and as later, my mom’s health required more support. After that experience I became a “guiltless caregiver” being very specific about what I needed from my sister and not hesitating to ask.

— Humbly submitted, Kay 12/2022

We all have stories to share...
SHARE YOURS!

We invite you to share your stories. We will always conceal your identity and reserve the right to edit without changing intent. Caregivers need to know we are not alone!

There are many ways to share your story.

We want to hear from you. You can send an email at guiltlesscaregiver@gmail.com

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You can record an audio or video story and send it to us via email or upload it from our submission form.