Healthy Caregiving

HEALTHY CAREGIVING

Giving Care to You, the Caregiver
FREE Workshop
Thursday, June 20, 2013

The role of family caregiver is a challenging one for most people. It usually involves some degree of physical, mental and emotional strain. When the need for care is great, so too is the amount of strain, and the caregiver’s own health often suffers as she (or he) puts their personal needs aside.

Obviously, unhealthy caregiving is harmful to the caregiver. In the long run, it can also become detrimental to the care receiver. A sick caregiver is less effective and may pass on an illness to their loved one. In extreme cases, caregivers (especially elder spouses) actually die first, leaving the care receiver all alone.

Therefore, it is crucial that family caregivers make time to care for themselves. At a minimum, caregivers need to get enough sleep and eat well in order to sustain themselves. At best, caregivers should have some personal time every day for exercise, rest and reflection.

Area 4 offers limited funding for respite care to help caregivers stay well.

Caregiving Resources