Has anyone ever said to you, “Let me know if there’s anything I can do?”
Caregivers rarely follow up on this kind of offering, even when they need assistance and support. They try to do everything themselves and before they know it, they are overwhelmed and perhaps even unwell, they find themselves in a care crisis.
When you think about it, who does everything for themselves under normal circumstances?
We all tend to rely on others for assistance in our daily activities and being a caregiver adds the needs of another individual. Whether your caregiving is short-term or long-term, asking for and accepting help is always a good idea. So – who can you turn to for help and how do you ask? These are some of the questions Jodie McDonald addresses in this Power Hour webinar on Building a Gold Medal Support Network. Jodie is a seasoned Social Worker with experience in crisis intervention, family support, mental health and community development. One of Jodie’s areas of specialty is assisting caregivers establish Circles of Support. Jodie will share her insights from this work and help you identify your caregiving needs, think through who you can ask for help and provide tips on how to approach the ask. Learn how to access and use the resources that are available to you, creating a circle of support from which both the giver and receiver can benefit.
Many times, friends and family members want to help, but don’t know how. Learn how to make it easier for them while making your load a bit lighter. Remember that you need to give yourself a break—both literally and figuratively—and realize you are doing the best you can by creating a network to help you care.