Yeah, totally. I worked in elderly 'care' for three years (mainly dementia) and it felt like I went through a three year course in self-psychology and self-psychotherapy. In Scotland, it seemed as if the majority of carers are either young/single mums or struggling foreign students. Neither group - with stressful lives outside of work - seemed to have much left over to give, and the general system of exploitation and bigPharma suck whatever is left. I managed on 2 12hr shifts per week. Some folk would regularly do 4/week. But hey, you know exactly what it's like huh?

I even blogged about it, basing the story on one of the residents whom I was very fond of (she was born the exact day, month and year as my father, whom I lost when I was 15): https://peakd.com/writing/@barge/the-raging-oldie-a-fictionalised-account-from-a-donk-air-home

It's as you say - prob. true of many many sectors and areas of life - "How can you be expected, to really care for others, when you do not know, how to care for yourself. When you don't prioritize it and practice it."

🤗