After completing the assigned reading and watching the videos, read the following vignette and answer the questions below:

Beverlee, 46, is married and has two special needs children and a successful career. She is meeting with a counselor from the local senior community center to find out about local resources and talk about how she is coping as a caregiver. Her mother, Edith, is 78, and Edith’s mental capacity and physical health are failing. Beverlee is the oldest of four siblings. Her father passed away two years ago, and Edith has been slowly declining ever since. Edith has refused to move out of the family home, even though she is living alone and has already fallen twice in the past month. Beverlee has been going over daily to cook, clean, and make sure her mother has her needs met.

Beverlee begins to cry as she tells you her mother's story. "I worry that something will happen to her in that old house, all by herself. But I can't do it by myself anymore." Beverlee shares that she is afraid she will lose her job due to all the time she has had to take off to care for her mother and take her to various doctor's appointments. "I take a lot of time off to make sure my children's needs are met, and my company has been ok with it, but with my mother, it has become excessive and my work is suffering." When you ask about her siblings, Beverlee informs you that they all live locally. "They're too full of themselves to take the time to help our mother. They want me to put her in a home. Right now I can't even stand to be around them!" Beverlee admits she is feeling anxious and depressed about failing her mother.

Discuss the feelings Beverlee is communicating.

• What suggestions would you make to help Beverlee manage her feelings?
• What questions or techniques might you use to help her gain a different perspective on her situation?
• What professional hunches can you develop regarding Beverlee’s support system based on the information provided?