What do you think about how this situation illustrates Jacqualine’s role-play behavior?
This is an example of Jackie’s self-perception as a performance. She is a mother, and in addition to that, she’s caring for her mum, who has Alzheimer’s. She’s sticking to her word and will keep her word on caring for her mother in her later years. She has to pay this price by inviting her mother to live with them in their home. She cares enough about being the daughter she should be and doing everything right for her mom. And Jacqueline’s responsibilities as a caregiver take priority over just about everything else. She doesn’t get holidays at home with her children or go out for fun with her husband because she’s always had to be there for her mum. That means Jackie’s love consumed her, leaving her no room for any part in her life, including the role she is expected to play.
Moreover, Jacqueline’s sleepless nights and struggle to talk about plans in a timely way show that her carer status also challenges her health. She’s constantly anxious about her mum. She has to be around to look after her. This implies that Jackie is under massive stress and anxiety, which can adversely affect her physical and cognitive well-being (Manzini, 2020). Jacqueline’s sense of theatricality is demonstrated in this sequence when she acts out her dedication to her part of caregiver to her mother. But it also indicates that she’s having trouble caring for herself while fulfilling her other roles. Jacqueline might have to re-prioritize and look for help to juggle fulfilling the caregiving role with her other work.
How might Jacqueline be hurting herself?
Jacqueline could also be participating in self-injury in many different areas. She’s also super anxious or stressed because she’s the primary caretaker for her mom, who has Alzheimer’s. She has an uncertain ongoing responsibility to her mother, wherever and whenever, to feed, medicate, and attend to the endless medicines. Long-term stress may result in some physical diseases such as heart disease, weakening of the immunity system, and affecting your brain (Palacio et al., 2020). This may, in turn, lead to depression and anxiety. This means that Jacqueline’s failure to manage her stress could harm her.
Also, neglecting herself and not caring for herself plays a role in what’s happening with Jacqueline. She’s putting herself last, giving up her needs, and abandoning her health to be a caregiver. She does not see her kids on vacation, her husband at playtime, and the bedtime to sleep peacefully. Not taking care of herself leads to a physical strain and negatively affects the mental part, causing her to be physically exhausted.
One type of time thief, sleep deprivation, may negatively impact our psychological well-being, cognitive function, mood, and even health. Her denial of needing support and help might add to her health problems (Couture et al., 2021). And she’s doing this without support, without relief. These emotions not only add a feeling of loneliness but also depression and burnout, which would ultimately affect her physical well-being. What is well documented is that a lack of support for caregivers leads to a higher chance of physical and emotional health issues in the primary caregiver. In conclusion, Jacqueline must prioritize her well-being and seek assistance to balance her caregiving responsibilities and health.
References
Couture, N., Villeneuve, P., & Éthier, S. (2021). Five functions of art therapy supporting couples affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Art Therapy, 38(2), 69-77. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07421656.2020.1726707
Manzini, C. S. S., & Vale, F. A. C. D. (2020). Emotional disorders evidenced by family caregivers of older people with Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia & neuropsychologia, 14, 56-61. https://www.scielo.br/j/dn/a/CPW4BHKYjV7RsW793TRq6Zz/
Palacio G, C., Krikorian, A., Gómez-Romero, M. J., & Limonero, J. T. (2020). Resilience in caregivers: A systematic review. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®, 37(8), 648-658. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1049909119893977
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