A man I'll call Bill attends our local Lewy Body Caregiver's support group. A few times one of his sisters has attended. The man who has Lewy Body Dementia is Bill's step father, Pete. Pete was widowed twice and is married for the third time. Bill has 8 sibling -- some step some half and some full. He says no one bathers with those distinctions. They are just family. The family is spread all over the country. Bill lives in Minnesota. Pete is in Texas.
No matter where they are located, the family is trying to understand the disease Pete has, and to be supportive of his wife and the family in Texas.
At the most recent meeting several caregivers talked about the issues they were currently dealing with. Bill said this was very helpful to him in getting a better view of what Pete's wife was dealing with. "I've only been alone with him for a couple of hours when I visited. This discussion gives me a much broader view of what hands-on caregiving is like."
What do you think? Could some of our siblings take lessons from this blended family?