You’ve heard it takes a village to raise a child? Well, it definitely takes a team to be a successful caregiver.
Because of the multi-faceted role that family and informal caregivers play, you need a range of caregiver support services not only to care for your loved one, but also to remain healthy, improve your caregiving skills and remain active in your caregiving role. Caregiver support services may include information, assistance, counseling, respite, home modifications and assistive devices, support groups and family counseling, among others.
Unfortunately, there’s little consistency from community to community as to how these services are delivered, and who delivers them.
But some good places to start identifying service providers are:
-Your local hospital. They often have a list of medical providers and can help with the processes necessary to connect with them.
-Your local public library. Public libraries often compile lists of community resources for a broad range of topics, including provision of local government and community services.
-Churches in your community. Faith-based organizations are being asked to man the front lines of delivering community services, so they’re often a great place to get started when assembling information about key service providers.
-Other local helping and/or philanthropic organizations. This might be the local Habitat for Humanity chapter, a local foundation or center, a local college with a disabilities studies program, or a local chapter of a national organization such as Easter Seals or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
-Major employers. While many services are available through local government agencies, service organizations, or faith-based organizations, employers are also beginning to implement workplace support programs that mitigate the impact caregiving has on workers. If you work for a large employer, be sure to check with the HR department to see what information is available.
-The federal government. The feds have established a central clearinghouse of disability information about the various taxpayer-funded programs that deal with such issues as civil rights, community life, education, employment, housing, health, income support, technology, and transportation. Check it out at http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/.
-The Disaboom community of caregivers. Experience is the best teacher, and many of the disaboom community members have already traversed the territory you may be navigating for the first time. Check out the discussion and ask questions here.
As a caregiver, you need to learn to ask for the help necessary to support your loved one effectively. Whether it’s counseling, support groups, family help, financial assistance, or increasing understanding of your situation in the workplace, don’t be afraid to voice your concerns and ask for assistance. Start building your caregiver team now.
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