Military veteran caregivers are like ‘the best friend to the vet’

By Christina Hall: For Complete Post, Click Here…

Angelena Taylor began caring for her 72-year-old father, Benjamin, at the beginning of 2016 after the Vietnam veteran had a stroke.

The stroke stripped Benjamin Taylor of use of the right side of his body. As with many veterans, he also has additional health issues, including depression and invisible wounds. The lifelong Detroiter served in the Marine Corps, followed by 27 years as a Detroit police officer. Angelena said her mom died when she was in high school.

Angelena Taylor’s role as her father’s full-time caregiver — a role for so many loved ones of military veterans in Michigan and the United States — is vitally important.

“It’s a really important relationship, father-daughter,” her father said. “I think it makes it more personal, and I don’t know if just anybody could be a caregiver ’cause it’s a lot of work … The care that I require is not one or two hours out of a day. It’s every day, all day, except for when she’s asleep.”

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