Celebrating National Family Caregivers Month
November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the invaluable role that family caregivers play in supporting loved ones living with disease, chronic health conditions, disability or old age.
Since 1997, November has been officially recognized as National Family Caregivers Month by presidential proclamations, and this year’s theme–set by the Caregiver Action Network–is “Supercharge your Caregiving”.
“Not all superheroes wear capes. You are rising to the demands and challenges of the caregiver role every day. Take advantage of tools that can help you stay on top of it all and help you restore some balance to your life.”
It’s estimated that approximately 134,000 people in Rhode Island act as family caregivers. The Caregiver Action Network wants to spread the word about tools and strategies that lighten the load for these incredibly hardworking folks.
In honor of National Family Caregivers Month, the Rhode Island AARP is hosting a “paint night” event on November 27th:
“Enjoy an evening of creativity, friendship and fun at “The He(art) of the Caregiver” event, where members can create a work of art for themselves or as a gift for the caregivers in their lives. Participants may also give this evening out to a caregiver as respite.”
The event takes place in Pawtucket and is open to AARP members and non-members alike.
Of course, support for caregivers is available throughout the year across Rhode Island. For those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, there are support groups held almost every day of the week throughout the state. Plus, you can get 24/7 access to online support via alzconnected.org. And there’s the annual Caregiver’s Journey Conference each spring.
If you’re supporting a loved one with conditions other than Alzheimer’s, a good way to begin looking for assistance is by using the the Eldercare Locator’s Caregiver Corner website. Simply enter your zip code and you’ll get a list of local agencies and organizations, details on how they can help and how to get in touch.