Caring for Those Who Care for Others

Laura Cheesman presents on Caregiver Identification at the Mass Aging Access Fall Conference in Boxboro (Sept. 2024).

November is National Family Caregiver Month, so thank a Caregiver Today!

By Laura Cheesman, Caregiver Support Program Manager

Each November we take the time to recognize caregivers for ALL that they do. Please join us in saying thank you to a caregiver you may know. 

Who is a Family Caregiver?

It may sound like an easy enough question to answer, but many people do not recognize that they are one. A Family Caregiver is any relative, partner, friend or neighbor who has a significant personal relationship with and provides a broad range of assistance for an older adult, an adult with a chronic or disabling condition, an adult child with a disability or someone that cares for a grandchild under the age of 18. 

Caregiving can takes many forms: from buying groceries, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, helping with showering or dressing, distributing medications, managing medical procedures, making appointments, arranging services, driving, managing finances, providing activities and companionship and monitoring safety. These are just a few of the many tasks a caregiver may take on! For many, becoming a caregiver is an unexpected role. Many family caregivers are not formally trained and are doing what professionals with years of experience are paid to do.

We know that caregiving is hard work that can take an emotional and physical toll on the caregiver. Caregiver burnout is very common and all caregivers are at risk. Studies show that more than 60% of caregivers experience symptoms of burnout but everyone’s experience with burnout is different.

Caregiver burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that happens while you’re taking care of someone else. Caregivers can reduce their risk of burnout by participating in respite care, joining a caregiver support group, talking with their doctor or mental health professional. Caregiver Burnout can have an impact on the caregiver’s own health. Stressed caregivers may experience fatigue, anxiety and depression. We don’t expect our cars to run on empty, and we can’t expect ourselves to either!

Our Family Caregiver Support Program can help prevent or mitigate burnout. We help family caregivers continue to do the hard work of caregiving by providing information about programs, services and supports that could be helpful now or in the future. We also guide caregivers in exploring ways of finding and accepting help, creating a plan for self- care, discovering respite opportunities and learning ways to connect with other caregivers through weekly support groups and caregiver workshops.

For more information and to connect with The Family Caregiver Program call 508-394-4630 or use the online referral form at https://escci.org/referrals/. We look forward to speaking with you!