“I will fearlessly care for my physical and emotional health as well as I care for my loved one's; I will recognize the signs of my own exhaustion and depression, and I will allow myself to take respite breaks and to care for myself on a regular basis.”- From the Fearless Caregiver Manifesto   

The timing couldn’t be better to talk about the State of the Union, no, not the State of The Union speech to Congress, but rather the union between caregivers and their loved ones. I have received more than a few emails lately which detail the stresses, guilt and even shame felt by caregivers who feel that the toll of caregiving has reached crisis level for them and they do not know if they can take it a moment longer. In most cases, these caregivers feel that there is no support for them and that no one would understand what they are going through, anyway.

I want to take this moment to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth. There are people who understand all too well what you are going through and are committed to help in every community. It may be the folks at the local Switchboard, the ElderHelp line or even in online communities like caregiver.com. Remember that Respite and Adult Day Care services are as much for you as they are for your loved ones and through many local organizations around the country, paid respite is available. Take a look at the online support group directory, to see if there is a group in your area, or if you know of a group feel free to add it to the listing. Join our newly revamped Caregiver Forum, which goes live on February 4, but most important of all, make sure you keep reaching out to your fellow caregivers.  

Gary Barg
Editor-in-Chief
gary@caregiver.com