Celebrating National Caregiver Month

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It’s been a while since I have written about my grandparents and today’s post brought back so many memories.  November happens to be National Caregiver month and an opportunity to partner with Kimberly-Clark sent me back to the time when I was helping care for my grandparents.

It will be 2 years this coming Thanksgiving eve that my gram passed away and a year next March since my grandfather left us. Many of you know that my grandparents lived with us for almost 8 years and the last 2 to 3 years were very difficult as their health and mobility declined rapidly.

One of the biggest things I learned while caring for both of them was the art of being sensitive to their personal needs and trying to make them comfortable while keeping their dignity in tact.

It’s hard to describe what it was like caring for them. It was like caring for a toddler or even an infant but in a grown 80 something year old body. When my grandparents faculties and their ability to bathe themself failed, it was awkward and embarrassing for them. Well my grandfather made fun of himself most of time which made me laugh so it was a little easier with him. My gram, she was more aggravated and disgusted with the idea of getting old.

Honestly, it took me some time to get use to helping the two people who helped raise me. There were many full circle moments caused a lot of laughter and sometimes tears between us.

I have an entire new appreciation for caregivers after being one myself while caring for my grandparents. It’s definitely not easy. I was very excited when Kimberly-Clark reached out asking my experience with their personal care products.

I will never forget my grandfather and his reaction when I suggested he try underwear designed for extra protection, especially during the night.

His response was priceless.

He busted out laughing and said, “geez kid I think that’s a great idea!”

Honestly, I think he was happy to have a solution to his body declining.

We loved the Depend® FIT-FLEX® Underwear featuring LYCRA designed for ultimate discreet protection for both my grandparents and I remember my grandfather being impressed with how comfortable and fitted they were. The waistband also was soft and didn’t leave harsh marks on his body.

My grandmother found the Cottonelle ® FreshCare ® Flushable Wipes very helpful and she loved that they were flushable, were not full of harsh chemicals, dyes or plastic fibers. Her skin was really sensitive so these worked great for her.

One of the biggest fears both of my grandparents had was the fear of not smelling clean. These wipes were very helpful for quick clean ups and maintaining clean dry skin.

As many of you know, my grandparents (especially my grandfather) loved my blog and loved being a part of it. I can hear him now saying, “Jessie,  you are blogging about me and underwear!?” -ha. He always loved sharing his opinions and I am confident he would say exactly what I did today about the importance of having products that make  you feel good about yourself, especially when it comes to personal care items.

You can find the following high-quality products at your local Cosco and they are all located in the same area of the store making it easy to shop. We personally liked the Depend® FIT-FLEX® Underwear, Cottonelle® FreshCare® Flushable Wipes the Poise® Ultimate Absorbency Pads. If you are a caregiver  you know the importance of products that make life easier for personal care. Taking care of a loved one who’s body is failing is time consuming and can many times be exhausting so the having products that help cut down on even the amount of laundry is key!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Kimberly-Clark. All opinions and words are 100% my own.