Here’s something I don’t say out loud very often. People will come up to me and say, “Your job as an activity director must be so rewarding.” Others add, “You should be paid a lot more.” And then… they move on. I know they mean well. But the conversation usually ends right there. One time, a family caregiver asked me how much I make. I told him I wasn’t comfortable sharing. Later, he went and found out on his own. When he came back, he was shocked. He told me it wasn’t right—that I was caring for his sister and deserved to be paid more. I understood his frustration. I really did. I chose to be a paid caregiver. I love what I do. It is rewarding. But loving the work doesn’t erase the weight of it. Purpose doesn’t pay the bills. Passion doesn’t protect you from burnout. So many paid caregivers live in this quiet tension—deeply committed, deeply caring, and often deeply unseen. This is one of those truths we carry quietly… and now, I’m saying it out loud.

This is the way I feel about this.

Really I want to know how you choose. Let me know.

Send Help!!