JANUARY 2024

A New Year's Resolution for Caregivers: Getting More Support

More than 44 million Americans provide unpaid caregiving. The value of this unpaid labor is more than $306 billion annually.

Unpaid caregiving is actually a multi-billion dollar industry. And yet, we know that unpaid caregivers receive no formal on-the-job training and are provided little or no support. Where can you find support? Look to your caregiving peers and others.

Research from the National Institute of Health indicates several factors influence a caregiver’s ability to engage in needed support, including their loved one’s level of care, available in-home support, level of experience as a caregiver, and ability to utilize technology.

In this issue, we are going to help you build strength through respite and peer support. Thank you, for all that you do as a caregiver. If you need to connect with me, you can call me at 251-445-3890 or email me at cboyington@sarpc.org.

Wishing you a happy New Year,

Christina Boyington, LICSW

Alabama Cares Coordinator

What is Respite?

Respite care is a special name for a short-term break or "time out" for caregivers. Respite care is temporary or emergency care for a care recipient, designed to give you - the family caregiver - a break from caregiving to take a break, attend appointments, run errands, or simply recharge.

Types of respite care include free in-home care by friends or family, paid in-home care by home health aides and concierges, services such as adult day care and church-based eldercare, and care provided by long-term care facilities (group homes, assisted living, nursing homes, etc.).

Respite care in the U.S. falls under Long-Term Services and Support (LTSS), which is available to eligible disabled persons through Medicaid and some insurance programs. In some cases, you may receive a tax deduction to offset your costs of respite services. Additional resources links are included in the article below.

Something we hear from many caregivers we serve that it is hard to ask for help. In fact, every day caregivers are presented with a dilemma. We are hard-wired to figure things out for ourselves and manage things by ourselves. But caregiving does not need to be - and in fact shouldn’t be - a go-it-alone experience. Seeking out help and widening your circle to include other people and other services such as respite care and support groups will help you round out your caregiving strategy for your own mental and physical health.

Caregivers and Asking for Help

Caregivers are amazing, generous people and deserve support and respect. Why do some caregivers "go it alone" instead of reaching out for support? By understanding the psychological obstacles, we can encourage more caregivers to ask for relief and support.

Here are some things to think about, taken from your peers - your fellow caregivers.

Caregiving Myth 1: “I can do this by myself.”

We can never be perfect, and we put unnecessary pressure on ourselves trying to be so. When we aren't open to help, we are making ourselves more vulnerable to caregiver burnout. When we are open to people offering their time, energy, or a sympathetic ear, we invest in ourselves and the well-being of those we care for. Support brings relief (and feeling less crazy!)

Caregiving Myth 2: “My way is the best way.”

Once we get into a caregiving rhythm, it becomes a source of comfort and consistency. Since we strive to find the best ways to care for those we love, we develop strategies and rely heavily on them. Allowing others to pitch in shows that other different ways can actually work.

Caregiving Myth 3: “If I’m not in control, it will go to pieces.”

This is one of the most challenging concepts to debunk because it stems from fear and worry. It’s genuinely hard to entrust the well-being of those we love and care for to someone else. We worry something terrible will happen if we aren't there to control everything. In truth, we can

never really control anything and can't prevent life from happening. Trust appropriate family and friends to be loving, kind, and well-intended.

Caregiving Myth 4: “I’ll look bad if I have to ask for help.”

Caregiving is hard. There is not one person among us who wouldn't find full-time caregiving challenging. Still, too many of us judge ourselves mercilessly and worry far too much about the opinions of others. No one expects anyone to care for others alone. Caregiving takes a village. We always rush to get the best help available for those we love, and we must treat ourselves with the same respect. We, too, need the best care we can get!

The Caregiving Circle

Try this! Write down your daily activities and those that you do on a weekly or monthly basis. We know the list will be long! You do much more each day than you probably take the time to even think about.

Write down 1) everything you do for yourself and 2) everything you do for the person you’re providing care for. Once you have a starter list, begin to think about those activities where you could really use some help.

Remember: Others want to help you; they just need you to ask them. Think about the people in your life who could assist and what they might like most doing. If you have a friend or family member who is especially good at organizing events, you might even designate that person with the role of orchestrating all of these activities.

Bond With Your Peers!

Tips for Picking a Caregiver Support Group

As part of our Caregiver College programs, participants rate the peer mentoring session as one of the most beneficial portions of the training. Who knows how to best solve problems than a fellow caregiver, or how to just listen while you share your feelings and frustrations. Here are a few general things about support groups:

• Can focus on different topics, ex. Type of health condition or persons sharing common experiences (ex. Widowed persons, caregivers, etc.)
• Can be Peer-Led or facilitated by a professional, can be in-person, via conference call/telephone or virtual (online, clickable links that enable everyone to meet together and see each other even though they are not in the same a physical space) - you can even access these meetings from your smart phone.
• Often based in community settings, including churches, senior centers, libraries, and health care centers
• Almost always free of charge

People come to support groups to learn tips, coping strategies, empathies. But, they also discuss weighty issues such as whether to put their loved one in a facility. Some groups teach specific skills to improve mental health and well-being, as many caregivers have some degree of depression or feelings of isolation.

Click the link below to read the full article from AARP.

UPCOMING EVENTS

See Support Group Listing

Legacy Leadership Institute

Engage and Thrive as a Connected Community Volunteer

March 24-26, 2025

Area Agency on Aging Office and University of South Alabama Faculty Club

9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. each day

Contact: Barbara Estes/251-706-4676 or click here: bestes@sarpc.org

Click Here for Online Registration Link

WHAT IS ALABAMA CARES?

Administered through the state, Alabama CARES provides support services to help families sustain efforts in caring for their loved one. 

• INFORMATION for caregivers and the public on resources and services available within their communities.
• SUPPORT GROUPS establishing a mutual support system for caregivers to discuss their experiences and concerns.
• ASSISTANCE to family caregivers through short-term case management in gaining access to services and resources available to them within their communities.
• RESPITE SERVICES that offer temporary, substitute support to relieve family caregivers from their daily caregiving responsibilities. Due to limited funding, this service is available for family caregivers who have the greatest burden and highest need of relief.
• COUNSELING family caregiver education, and guidance that assist family caregivers in making decisions and solving problems related to their roles as caregivers.
• TRAINING family caregivers with instruction to improve their knowledge and skills related to caregiving.
• SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES, available on a limited basis, are intended to complement the care family caregivers provide for their loved one.

The following are eligible to participate in support services. Caregivers: 60+ caring for persons diagnosed with Alzheimer’s/other dementias; 55+ (not parents) caring for children under 18; and older relatives 55+ (including parents) caring for adults 19-59 with disabilities.

South Alabama Regional Planning Commission

Area Agency on Aging

110 Beauregard Street

Mobile, Alabama 36602

Aging and Disability Resource Center

251-706-4680 or aginginfo@sarpc.org

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