September 10, 2026

Ellie and Doreen’s Caregiving Story

Caregiver Stories

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“I can’t see. I’m blind. I see clouds.”

That’s what Doreen told her daughter, Ellie, on the phone while she was recovering in a rehabilitation facility. Ellie had been trying to reach her mother, and when she finally did, Doreen was telling her something was seriously wrong.

When Ellie didn’t feel like her mother was getting the medical support needed, she called Traci, her Careforth care manager. Traci listened, took Ellie seriously, and told her to call 911.

At the hospital, doctors found that Doreen had a stroke, lost movement on her entire left side, and couldn’t see. The experience showed Ellie just how important it was to have someone she trusted to call when she wasn’t sure what to do.

“If I didn’t have Traci, my mom probably would still be blind,” Ellie said.

Stepping Into a New Role

If you ask Ellie to describe her mom, she doesn’t hesitate.

“My mom is a superwoman.”

Doreen has always been strong. She is also a jokester; her sense of humor has been an important part of her family’s life. Now, seeing her mother struggle is difficult.

Ellie officially began caring for her mom in 2024 after Doreen broke her leg. Although her leg has healed, Doreen is wheelchair bound with some paralysis since her stroke in early 2026. Ellie helps her get around, assists with pill management, stays on top of her type 2 diabetes, and delivers around-the-clock care to meet her mother’s needs.

“It’s more than a 40-hour [per week] job, especially if you’re doing total care. [For example], she woke me up every 30 minutes last night,” Ellie said.

Her day starts around 6 a.m. She gets Doreen dressed and changes her diaper. Around 10 a.m., Doreen eats while Ellie does her hair and positions her near the window. In the afternoon, Doreen goes back to bed for several hours. Ellie uses a Hoyer lift to move her safely, making sure she lands on a padded mat before putting everything away.

There is also the constant work that comes with 24-hour care: meal preparation, repositioning Doreen in her chair, helping her to the bathroom, managing medications for Doreen’s chronic conditions, and paying attention to changes in her mood and pain. As a mother herself, Ellie sees something familiar in the work of caring for her own mom: the patience, compassion, and constant attention that caring for someone you love requires.

“Being a mom and caregiving is the same thing,” she said. “Show compassion.”

That means staying calm, remembering that her mom is hurting, and showing her love even when the day is difficult. Even as Doreen’s health has changed, Ellie tries to hold on to the humor and strength that has always been part of their family.

“Humor is very important,” she said. “You don’t want to just keep crying. She loves to see people laugh.”

Caring for More Than the Physical Needs

Some of the most difficult parts of caregiving aren’t physical. Ellie says the hardest part is the mental challenges. 

“Now I let her cry and cry and get it out,” Ellie said. “[My mom] tells me she’s not, but she’s so strong.”

Ellie also knows that she has to protect her own mental health so she can continue caring for Doreen. That means enjoying small moments for herself, like finding 15 or 30 minutes to walk her grandson to Walgreens down the street. It may not seem like much, but to Eleanor, those moments matter.

“It’s so important to have those small moments,” she said. “It’s me time. You could go crazy. You have to smell the fresh-cut grass.”

For Ellie, stepping away for even a few minutes isn’t about walking away from caregiving. It’s part of the reason she’s able to keep going.

Finding Support as a Family Caregiver

When Ellie heard about her cousin’s experience getting caregiving support from Careforth, she knew it was time to look into extra help. Ellie and Doreen joined our Adult Foster Care program in 2024, and have worked with their care team, Traci and Christine, ever since. 

“Traci doesn’t play; she’s like my mother,” Ellie said. “She’s like family.”

Because she provides constant care for her Doreen, Eleanor doesn’t have time to look for resources in her area like getting help with a new wheelchair or ramp. That support matters because caregiving can be isolating. Ellie says Careforth helps her feel like she isn’t doing it by herself.

“Christine gave me a list of places that I can contact if I need help with wheelchairs,” she said. “They help you out. They give you advice. They usually say you’re doing a great job, and that inspires you to keep going.”

The relationship goes both ways. While Ellie gets support from her care team, her dedication to her mom inspires them, too.

“It brings tears to my eyes to see a daughter care for their mother the way they do,” Traci said. “I can only hope that I get care like that one day.”

A Choice Made With Love

Being able to care for her mom at home means peace of mind for Ellie. While Doreen was in a rehabilitation facility, Ellie was spending $80 a day and traveling to visit six days a week. She also worried about what was happening to her mom when she wasn’t there. Now, she says, Doreen is safe at home.

“Being able to take care of mom is wonderful,” Ellie said. “It has its days. Sometimes it hurts and I have a cry myself. Sometimes she’s laughing.”

Through the difficult days, Ellie keeps going. She says the financial support from Careforth helps, too, allowing her to put money toward the mortgage and making it easier for her to manage the demands of a job that is far more than 40 hours a week. But what matters most is being there for her mom.

“Careforth made me a better person caring for my mom. Taking care of [her] is everything,” Ellie said. “If I had to do it again, I would.”

Whether you are just stepping into caregiving or have been supporting a loved one for years, you do not have to do it alone. At Careforth, we strive to provide the resources and connections that ensure caregivers feel supported throughout their caregiving journey. Visit the Caregiver Support page on our site to learn more about how Careforth supports caregivers, or contact us for more information.