CARE Support Group At Bel Aire American Fork Tonight!

CARE

Caregivers Allowed to Rejuvenate and Energize

Don't miss out on our monthly CARE meeting at Bel Aire Senior Living, 1088 East 390 South in American Fork, Wednesday, September 26th, at 6 PM sharp. 
For future reference, This meeting is ALWAYS on the FOURTH Wednesday of each month.

Hope to see you there!

What Would A Caregiver Support Group Do For Me?

Did you know that more that one-third of the US population is providing cares for an aging loved one?  That number is expected to grow exponentially over the next few years due to the baby-boomer population.  If you have already found yourself in a caregiving position, chances are it's just around the corner.

Caregiving is a demanding, time-consuming, sometimes thankless job.  It is also a beautiful way of serving those we love. Being able to see the beauty in it is directly related to the support you have as well as the skills and tools that are available.  Support groups can offer skills, information, resources and tools as well as the knowledge of knowing you are not alone.

Having the opportunity to facilitate three CARE meetings in Utah Valley throughout each month helps me to understand the great need of sharing resources and information with caregivers. Having people come to the meetings is one of the greatest resources.  They are in the trenches of their caregiving experience and are able to share ideas, what worked, what didn't, and help others who may be having the same struggles.

Please come to one of our CARE meetings whether you are currently caregiving, have been a caregiver in the past or know that the time is coming for you with an aging loved one.

There is a CARE (Caregivers Allowed to Rejuvenate and Energize) Meeting tonight at Bel Aire Senior Living, 1088 East 390 South in American Fork tonight at 6 PM.  Feel free to call me @ 801-623-9595 with any questions.  Hope to see you there!

Are You A Caregiver?

If I had a nickle for every time I have found myself visiting with someone who is at the point of burnout when they didn't even consider themselves a caregiver, I would be able to buy a new pair of shoes.  Cute shoes!! So, in the interest of education, and my ever growing shoe collection, here are some hints for those of you who may be in denial about the part they play in their loved ones lives...

Do you do any of the following for your loved one:

Clean their home.

Prepare meals for loved one.

Take loved one grocery shopping.

Assist with grooming, showering, dressing, etc..

Pay their bills and/or manage finances for them.

Manage their medications.

Take to appointments such as medical or social.

 If you found yourself answering YES to more than one of the above, you are quite possibly a caregiver.  Give yourself a hug while repeating the phrase, "It's alright. I'm going to be alright." 

In all seriousness, you need to keep in mind that you are not alone.  In fact, there are more than 69 MILLION caregivers in the United States.  That's approximately one third of the US population serving 20 hours per week providing cares for an aging loved one. With the Baby Boomer generation, that number is set to increase by leaps and bounds.

More than ever, we need to educate ourselves about the role of caregivers so we will be prepared when our turn comes around....and it will! 
I invite you to explore our blog, find articles and resources that can help and PASS IT ON!  

If you have an article or idea that you think would be valuable for others, please contact me, Gena,  at 801-623-9595.