National Family Caregivers Month #BeCareCurious -

National Family Caregivers Month #BeCareCurious

Family Caregivers Month 2019: This year’s theme is #BeCareCurious 

It is a time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country. Celebrating National Family Caregivers enables us to raise awareness of issues, celebrate efforts, educate about self-identification, and increase support for family caregivers. For more information, tips, and this year’s theme visit HERE. What should you #BeCareCurious about:  * Your Loved One’s Goals *Treatment Options *Research *The Care Plan* Coverage 

Facts About Family Caregivers

• Over 40 million Americans serve as unpaid caregivers, mostly for parents and grandparents.  
• Nearly one-quarter of today’s caregivers are from the Millennial generation (early 20’s to mid-’30s), and they are struggling with the costs of balancing care for aging loved ones with care for newborns or young children. 
• Family caregivers provide a staggering 90% of long-term care in America.  
• The value of service family caregivers provide for “free” is estimated at $450 billion a year, three times the combined amount spent and on home care and nursing care.   

Tips for Caregivers

• Seek support from other caregivers. You are not alone!
• Take care of your health so that you can be strong enough to take 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, and 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.

Resources for Caregivers

• The United Way Caregivers Coalition produces a regional edition of an award-winning, comprehensive caregiving guide – Pathways for Caregivers. Caregivers credit this guide as a lifeline. It is a one-of-a-kind resource full of information, advice, and ideas about how to get the support caregivers need. The guide includes focused sections on caring for loved ones who are aging, have disabilities or mental health issues, or qualify for veterans’ services. United Way is currently offering the 5th edition of Pathways for Caregivers here.
• The Caregivers Action Network has a toolbox for a caregiver to access information on how to approach various challenges that being a caregiver presents.  Click here to access it.
• The Family Caregiver Alliance seeks to improve the quality of life for caregivers through education, services, research, and advocacy. They offer a Family Care Navigator  that provides information at the state level, as well as essential tips for self-care for those coping with the demands of care giving. 

Review “A Caregivers Pledge” created by caregiver.org and remember to take care of yourself.  Your work is valuable! 

For additional Health and Wellness Resources Visit Chapman Health and Wellness

Information above is

• Reprinted from CaregiverAction.org by permission of Caregiver Action Network, the nation’s leading organization for all family caregivers
• 
• Reprinted from United Way by permission of The United Way Caregivers Coalition. The United Way Caregivers Coalition has developed a range of responses and programs that are free and open to all, promote knowledge and action around critical issues, and provide access to help for unpaid family caregivers in our region.
•