November is time to give thanks to caregivers

“There are only four kinds of people in the world - those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.” —  Former First Lady Rosalyn Carter
Every day, all across the country, people juggle the demands of their busy lives. Jobs, children, and dozens of other activities all compete for time. And then, mom or dad or another family member gets sick, injured, or otherwise needs help and someone starts their new role as the “family caregiver.”

Each year November is designated nationally and in Virginia as Family Caregivers Month. This is a special time to thank the more than 50 million family caregivers in the nation for providing compassionate and needed care for their loved ones. In Virginia it is estimated that there are 900,000 family caregivers who provide 9,700,000 hours of care at a value that would otherwise cost over 9 billion dollars. And this will only increase as the population ages.

Becoming a family caregiver can occur suddenly and without warning, or it can evolve slowly over time. Regardless of how it occurs, it is often a life-changing event that can be very stressful if not embraced or accepted, especially when it involves intense care giving such as dementia or incontinence. Caregivers must create balance between caring for others and caring for themselves. Remember that the best way to be an effective and loving caregiver is to take care of you. My aunt had a massive fatal stroke while caring for my uncle who had Alzheimer’s disease. I often ask myself if this could have been avoided if she had more balance in her life by letting someone else periodically help with my uncle’s care.

In relatively rural areas such as ours, supports for caregivers can be limited, but they do exist. The Alzheimer’s Association provides support groups for family caregivers in Culpeper at the Amerisist the third Thursday of every month from 10 a.m. to noon.

Contact Lynette Scott at 825-3100 ext. 3464 for more information. Spiritual Support Ministries and Hospice of the Rapidan offer Grief Support Groups as well. For a complete listing of support groups in the area, contact Aging Together at 829-6405. You can also get involved with Aging Together’s Caregiver Education Workgroup that meets the first Wednesday of every month at 3:30 p.m. at Daybreak Adult Day Health Care Center. The group works to help support caregivers by providing resources and programs that educate and assist them. To learn more, call 829-6405.

Aging Advocates can help caregivers take advantage of resources and programs available to their loved one. They can provide a one on one assessment of your loved one and make recommendations for local and government assistance. Examples of assistance include Home Delivered Meals, Medication Assistance, and many other programs that can help cut down on the various duties a caregiver can become burdened with. Contact Carroll Glasker at 825-3100 for more information.

The Healthy Culpeper Senior Adult Committee will also be offering a free, hands on Caregiver Training session in the spring of 2010. Stay tuned for more detailed information as it becomes available or visit http://www.agingtogether.org.

If you are a caregiver, take time to attend The Virginia Caregiver Coalition free seminar Honoring Virginia Family Caregivers Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. at both the Madison County Health Department and at the Fauquier County Health Department. Enjoy refreshments, good fellowship and listen to nationally recognized speaker and author Hank Dunn. Contact Camilla Gaudioso at 727-7097 to RSVP or for more information. Remember, you owe it to yourself.

So, take a few minutes sometime during November to give thanks to all caregivers: family, friends, neighbors, volunteers, and paid caregivers. They all provide a valuable service improving the quality of life of those in need.

We want to hear from you! If you are one of the many area residents who are or were a caregiver, share your story at or call 829-6405. We’d love to hear and share your suggestions, ideas and tips on how you make time out for yourself while caring for a loved one. Karl Karch is a member of the Healthy Culpeper Senior Adult Committee and owner of Home Instead Senior Care. Healthy Culpeper Senior Adult Committee is a non-profit partnership that works to help improve the lives of senior citizens and their caregivers. Visit us at agingtogether.org.