Ten Tips for Family Caregivers
Family Caregivers: Know You’re NOT Alone
The role family caregivers play in our society is an important, yet often unheralded, role. Across the US, more than 60 million Americans take up the selfless work of delivering care to seniors or people with disabilities or illnesses, shouldering an added amount of stress to their daily lives. In November each year, the Caregiver Action Network (CAN) sponsors National Family Caregiver’s Month, an annual commemoration to honor the millions of Americans who care for a loved one with a chronic condition, disability, or the frailties of old age. The CAN website offers 10 Tips for Family Caregivers, as a way to offer a little helpful advice: 10 Tips for Family Caregivers- Seek support from other caregivers. You are not alone!
- Take care of your own health so that you will be strong enough to care of your loved one.
- Accept offers of help and suggest specific things people can do to help you.
- Learn how to communicate effectively with doctors.
- Caregiving is hard work so take respite breaks often.
- Watch out for signs of depression. Don’t delay getting professional help when you need it.
- Be open to new technologies that can help you care for your loved one.
- Organize medical information so it’s up to date and easy to find.
- Make sure legal documents are in order.
- Give yourself credit for doing the best you can in one of the toughest jobs there is!
The Caregiver Action Network is the nation’s leading family caregiver organization working to improve the quality of life for the more than 65 million Americans who care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities, disease, or the frailties of old age. CAN serves a broad spectrum of family caregivers ranging from the parents of children with special needs, to the families and friends of wounded soldiers; from a young couple dealing with a diagnosis of MS, to adult children caring for parents with Alzheimer’s disease. CAN (formerly the National Family Caregivers Association) is a non-profit organization providing education, peer support, and resources to family caregivers across the country free of charge.
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