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AI won’t fix your grief, but it can help manage it
“Hi, Kim, I’ve been taking care of my dad since his stroke. Your story about using ChatGPT to map out questions for our doctors has actually truly helped me feel a little more in control. It’s not perfect, but it’s been a lifeline.” — Maya in Ohio
Thanks for your kind note, Maya. Being a caregiver, whether you’re managing appointments, meals or moods, is a job you didn’t apply for, can’t quit and will never be fully prepared for. It’s lonely, scary and exhausting. I’ve been there.
The internet has a million tips on palliative care and side effects, but very little on the emotional black hole you’re staring into. That’s where AI, surprisingly, can actually help.
Note: This story is a little longer than most I put here in the newsletter. But it’s an important one that I feel will help you and many of my readers.
❤️🩹 Sample prompts
You’re not only dealing with logistics.
You’re managing panic, insomnia, guilt and anticipatory grief. And no, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot or any of the other AI chatbots can’t hug you. That would get out of hand, real quick.
Getting started is often the hardest part. I put together some prompts for you to try with your favorite AI chatbot. I hope this helps you, even a little bit.
Let’s start with you
Tell your chatbot what’s going on with you and your loved one. It won’t know how to help unless you are completely honest.
- “Act like a therapist and help me process the overwhelming stress I’m feeling right now.”
- “What are ways I can still be here to help but not let it consume me?”
- “What questions should I ask myself when I feel overwhelmed and guilty for just needing a break?”
Hard talks with family or patient
When you’re stressed, it’s hard to think straight. Give AI your tough duties.
- “Write a compassionate note to explain Dad’s diagnosis to my kids.”
- “Help me talk to my sibling about splitting up caregiving duties without sounding resentful.”
- “Tell me what I should do legally if things take a sudden turn for the worst.”
You don’t need another to-do list
Use AI when your brain is full to sort the chaos.
- “I’m going to give you a list of everything on my plate. Organize it into urgent, important and optional. Flag anything I can delegate to friends and family.”
- “Here are 10 things I need to do, but I don’t know where to start. Tell me what I should do first and give me a realistic time slot to do it.”
- “I want to make Dad comfortable. Give me ideas.”
Sanity check moments
You can’t take care of someone else unless you take care of yourself first. That’s not being selfish. It’s life.
- “Give me a calming mantra to repeat when I’m about to cry in public or when I’m with my loved one.”
- “I would like prayers that I can say alone and with my loved one.”
- “Give me five easy meal ideas that don’t involve an oven.”
Pro tip: Take a picture of your pantry or fridge and ask AI what you can make with what you have.
💝 Why this matters
In the moments when your brain is fried and your heart is in free fall, an AI chatbot can step in as your nonjudgmental sidekick, offering words, structure and gentle nudges, so you don’t have to carry every piece alone.
You’re not a machine. But lucky for you, this helper is.
🫶🏻 Know someone who needs this info? Use the share buttons below right now.
Tags: AI (artificial intelligence), ChatGPT, family, friends, kids, prompts
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