Many family members who take on the role of caregiver often ignore their own physical and mental health. They don’t always recognize the signs or symptoms of stress this role can cause after a while. Finding a support group to meet up with, a therapist, a clergyperson, a trusted friend, or a close family member can help ease that feeling of being overwhelmed.
Just being able to talk with someone about your feelings and your situation can keep depression at bay. Some days you may feel angry, guilty, frustrated, overwhelmed, and alone, but knowing you can talk to someone who understands what you are going through is a great stress reliever.
You might even find support from groups performing certain activities you enjoy, such as Yoga, exercise class, or an arts and craft group. Maybe just meeting with a friend or family member for coffee once or twice a week is the only release you need to keep you going.
Going online to a free support group is another option. Here, you can log into a specific group depending upon the type of caregiver needs you have to perform. This could include a group that only discusses certain topics like Alzheimer’s, cancer, etc.
You can perform a google search pertaining to the type of person you are caring for. Google will produce a list of sites that deal with that particular illness and care.
The National Family Caregiver Support Program, which was established in 2000, funds a range of support for family caregivers. With this program, the state provides five types of services.
- Information about available services
- Information on how caregivers can gain access to the services
- Counseling and training
- Respite care
- Limited supplemental services
Other places that you could find potential caregiver support groups are churches, senior centers, hospitals, and organizations that cater to specific diseases.
There are many caregivers out there who need the support but fail to take advantage of these groups. Maybe you think you have it all under control or maybe you just aren’t comfortable talking in front of a group of people. It could be that you are so busy taking care of your loved one that you feel that you don’t have the time to get away.
Regardless of the reason that you use to avoid a caregiver support group keep in mind that you can only benefit from talking with others in similar situations.
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