Do you feel that you are alone in your caregiving efforts? Before you assumed the caregiving role, you likely had a busy life full of family obligations, work and extra curricular activities. When you are all of the sudden fulfilling the role of caregiver, you soon learn about the feeling of isolation and you lose touch with friends and other activities. You may feel that no one understands what you are going through and you wonder how you are going to cope when your loved one starts declining, causing more work and stress on you.
Luckily, there are plenty of resources all over the country that are in existence to provide support to caregivers who need a helping hand. Whether it is a sounding board, seeking advice or needing actual physical help outside the family, these resources are there to tap into. Don’t assume asking for help is an admission of incompetence. No one could fully be prepared for the caregiver role. However, do you know where to look?
1. American Association of Retired People (AARP) is a great resource if the loved one you are caring is over 55 years of age. If they are an AARP member, so much the better! This organization is very cognizant of the issues that crop up due to age. From advice on finding a part-time job to how to navigate Medicare to locating resources on caregiving, AARP can help. They have a wealth of information at their fingertips and best of all they have local and state chapters so you may have someone near you to help.
2. The Family Caregiver Alliance is a national clearinghouse of all things having to do with caregiving. Here you can read up on what to expect when you first start caregiving, how to identify burnout, safety measures you should take if the loved one has cognitive impairments and even the latest in public policy and government measures. This resource is all-encompassing and can lead you in the right direction such as finding resources for certain things in your own backyard.
3. One of the leading reasons why many people assume a caregiver role is because their loved one has issues with cognitive impairment such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Because of this the Alzheimer’s Association is a great resource of information. They are another national clearing house of information and will guide you to your state or local chapters so you can obtain information about the disease, get referrals for specialists for your loved one and just seek advice.
4. The National Family Caregivers Association is a national organization that also provides excellent resources for your caregiving needs. They have a wealth of information from the latest in public policy to linking volunteers and caregivers together. This organization often works in conjunction with other agencies.
5. The U.S., state and local governments have various programs that are devoted to seniors and their specific needs as well as that of caregivers. Each state may have offices with different names but you can find those agencies nearest you through the National Association of State Units on Aging.
6. Other local and national organizations may also be able to help you in your caregiving needs. If your loved one has cancer, you might consider contacting a local chapter of the American Cancer Society or if they have heart disease, it would be the American Heart Association. The library and internet are the best sources for finding your local offices for any special interest organization.
When in doubt, you should also be able to turn to your loved one’s doctor for resources that could help you cope. If you attend church, father or priest may also have ties in the community that could help as well. Just know that you are never alone in your caregiving role. All you have to do take the first step and reach out.
