The Loss Before the Loss
We explored anticipatory grief and ambiguous loss—the two forms of grief that often overlap in dementia care—and discussed the unrelenting alertness that exhausts caregivers.
Opening Reflections
This week’s OU2 conversation touched on some of the deepest emotional layers of caregiving—loss, exhaustion, and the quiet negotiations we make with ourselves just to keep going. Though I wasn’t able to attend, Meg shared these reflections, and reading through them, I was struck by how universal and tender these themes are.
Topics Discussed
The Loss Before the Loss
Anticipatory grief and ambiguous loss are the two parallel forms of grief that overlap in dementia care. Understanding the difference can bring clarity and compassion to what you're carrying.
2 min readThe Unrelenting Alertness
The exhaustion of being 'on' all the time—the hypervigilance, the interrupted sleep, the sense that your nervous system never fully powers down.
1 min readThe Power of Tapping
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) combines gentle tapping on acupressure points with naming emotional stress—giving your nervous system a moment of calm.
2 min readSelf-Care as Survival
Your health is foundational to your care recipient's health. This isn't self-help fluff—it's documented reality with real implications for outcomes.
2 min readFolding Self-Care Into Caregiving
Instead of thinking of self-care as extra, integrate it into what you're already doing—making it easier, more efficient, and more sustainable.
3 min readSpecial Days and Emotional Landmines
Anniversaries, birthdays, and holidays take on an entirely new meaning in the caregiving season. What used to be joyful can become emotionally layered, uncertain, or painful.
3 min readA Tool Worth Knowing: Nuriq
A tool designed to help caregivers capture and understand what happens in medical appointments—reducing cognitive load when you're overwhelmed.
2 min readIn Closing
As always, thank you for staying connected, for reading these recaps, and for showing up for yourselves in whatever ways you can. Caregiving asks more of us than most people will ever understand—and still, you continue to learn, adapt, and love through circumstances that shift every single day.
Please remember: you don’t have to hold all of this alone. Small steps count. New tools can help. Rest is not weakness. And support—whether from this group, a resource we’ve shared, or simply one compassionate conversation—is always within reach.
We’ll gather again soon, and until then, may you find moments of ease, clarity, and gentleness in the days ahead.
With care, Meg & Candice