Caring for her elderly mother was a rewarding experience for Maryann Battistel, but it was a lot of responsibility.
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Mrs Battistel's mother, Mary Dal Broi, passed away in December 2019 at the age of 94 and was fiercely independent until her passing.
"My mum mowed her own lawns, did all her housework and grew her own vegetables well into her old age," Mrs Battistel said.
"Coming from an Italian background she never wanted help. She wanted to live her own life."
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Mary Dal Broi was able to continue her life on her own terms right up to her passing, assisted in large part by her daughter and the extended family.
"In the beginning it was taking her to appointments or helping her fix things in the house that we knew she couldn't do by herself anymore," Mrs Battistel said.
But after falling over at home 18 months ago, Mrs Dal Broi began to slow down considerably, gradually needing more help and assistance.
"I was taking on a lot and I was lucky that I had support from my family but it was very stressful," Mrs Battistel said.
"My husband was the one who pointed out to me that I wasn't coping. I wasn't really aware of it, I just knew that my mum needed me and I did whatever I could for her."
Many factors contribute to carers becoming overwhelmed with trying to manage the needs of elderly parents.
In Mrs Battistel's case, she wishes she had spoken up earlier to put arrangements in place to help out with caring responsibilities.
"People need to know that there are services out there that can help make your life a little bit easier," Mrs Battistel said.
Mrs Battistel was one of many carers in the Griffith region that took part in workshops run by Griffith's Local Health Advisory Committee that targeted gaps in carers accessing services and vital information.
It was during these workshops where Mrs Battistel heard for the first time that it was okay to say 'no' to taking on more.
"You can't possibly do everything so it's okay to ask for help.
"In my case I wanted to be there for my mum, I just needed help." Mrs Battistel said.
Kat is a former English teacher to international students and has taught all over the world. She is beginning a new career as a journalist with the Area News. Got something you want to chat about? She's all ears.
Kat is a former English teacher to international students and has taught all over the world. She is beginning a new career as a journalist with the Area News. Got something you want to chat about? She's all ears.
