Brandee Evans opens up about caregiver guilt after her mother’s injury: ‘Trust your instincts’
The actress said she doesn’t believe the caregiver acted with malicious intent but admits she’s struggling to forgive herself.
“P-Valley” star Brandee Evans is opening up about one of the most difficult moments she’s experienced as a caregiver, revealing that her mother suffered a serious injury while she was away during her first extended break in nearly a year.
The actress, who has long documented her caregiving journey with her mother on social media, shared an emotional update on Instagram explaining why she felt compelled to speak about the experience, despite usually choosing to highlight the more uplifting moments of caregiving.
According to Evans, she took a three-day respite after spending nearly two months training a caregiver to look after her mother. However, she admitted that something never felt quite right.
“I kept saying, ‘I don’t think you’re ready yet,’” Evans wrote on Instagram, explaining that she voiced those concerns to family members, friends and the caregiver herself before ultimately deciding to move forward after receiving reassurance.
While trying to enjoy her time away, Evans said she was overcome by a feeling that prompted her to check in through FaceTime. During that call, she learned her mother had experienced what the caregiver described as “a little slip.”
It wasn’t until Evans returned home the following day that she realized the extent of the incident.
She revealed that her mother had suffered a broken femur after safety procedures she had repeatedly reviewed with the caregiver were not followed. Evans said the injury required surgery as well as two blood transfusions.
Although she stressed that she does not believe the caregiver acted with malicious intent, Evans admitted she has struggled to forgive herself.
“I forgive that caregiver because I know it wasn’t malicious. It was just careless,” she wrote. “I can’t seem to forgive myself right now. I should have trusted my instincts.”
Rather than simply recounting the ordeal, Evans said she hopes her experience serves as a lesson for others caring for loved ones.
She encouraged fellow caregivers to listen to their intuition whenever something feels off, writing that “that little voice, that gut feeling, that hesitation” should never be ignored.
For years, Evans has been candid about balancing her acting career with caring for her mother, making her advocacy for caregivers an important part of her public platform. Her latest message offers a reminder of the emotional weight many family caregivers carry, even when they briefly step away to care for themselves.