By CK Wilde for 3GenFamily Blog
Stress
No one knows more about it than a caregiver of an adult family member or friend. Unlike the nine month long joyful, if apprehensive, anticipation of the birth of a baby, adult caregiving too often starts abruptly.
Sudden events, like a medical emergency, yank us out of our normal lives and thrust us into the caregiver role off balance and unprepared. Then, we scurry like mad to play catch up.
Compounding the problem, family conflicts and issues, that may have been buried as siblings grew up and began leading their own lives, now surface with a new intensity. You are just trying to help Mom or Dad get well but your sibling questions everything you do.
Or, you are trying to make sense of the incomprehensible medical jargon the doctors are lavishing on you. How do you help your parent or friend understand the best thing to do when you don’t have any idea what the doctors are saying?
If you are new to family caregiving (or even if you have been struggling for some time), you may want some help. If unanticipated responsibilities and questions are pouring stress into your life, here is a program that can help.
Navigating Family Caregiving
To help support the more than 44 million Americans who are providing care to an adult family member or friend, AARP and Borders are hosting free Navigating Family Caregiving events at ten Borders stores throughout the country this month. These 90-minute seminars will provide information and guidance to family caregivers that will improve the quality of their own lives and the caregiving they provide to loved ones.
Based on an expanded version of AARP’s five-step planning guide for families, which will be distributed to all attendees, these events will help caregivers identify ways to reduce stress, provide a better understanding of medical treatment plans, suggest techniques for keeping the home safe for loved ones, and assist caregivers with managing insurance and financial matters. The curriculum for these events was established by Dr. Dan Tobin, an author and nationally recognized leader on caregiving and health counseling.
Here are the dates and times for the Navigating Family Caregiving seminars sponsored by AARP and Borders:
Thursday, November 6 at 7 p.m.
Borders
17200 Royalton Road
Strongsville, OH 44136
(440) 846-1144
Friday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Borders
1500 16th Street, Suite D
Oak Brook, IL 60523
(630) 574-0800
Saturday, November 8 at 2 p.m.
Borders
1664 N.W. Chipman Road
Lee’s Summit, MO 64081
(816) 347-0044
Tuesday, November 11 at 7 p.m.
Borders
11301 Rockville Pike
Kensington, MD 20895
(301) 816-1067
Wednesday, November 12 at 7 p.m.
Borders
34300 Woodward
Birmingham, MI 48009
(248) 203-0005
Saturday, November 15 at 2 p.m.
Borders
71800 Highway 111, Suite B119
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
(760) 779-1314
Monday, November 17 at 7 p.m.
Borders
2339 Fair Oaks Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 564-0168
Tuesday, November 18 at 7 p.m.
Borders
3025 Kirby
Kirby, TX 77098
(713) 524-0200
Wednesday, November 19 at 7 p.m.
Borders
2402 E Camelback Road, Suite 200
Phoenix, AZ 85016
(602) 957-6660
Monday, November 24 at 2 p.m.
Borders
990 Iyannough Road
Hyannis, MA 02601
(508) 862-6363
Take advantage of this great opportunity to get questions answered about your major issues. Caregivers need support and quality information to help their loved ones. You can also check out AARP’s five-step planning guide for families online or request that a copy be sent to you by postal mail.
Go ahead and make the time for the seminar in your area. The more information you have the better you can help your loved one and yourself. It’s time well spent.
What do you think about this post? Leave us a comment!
© 2008 CK Wilde. All Rights Reserved. Please feel free to link to this post but you must have prior written permission (please use the comments) to reproduce this post either whole or in part.
Thanks for providing this information. This is really helpful for the ones who are looking for caregiver.
Rose.