National Caregiving Day

This blog was submitted by an anonymous Howard County community member

When we think of February, we think LOVE…

…But, love isn’t reserved just for the romantic. The Ancient Greeks had many words for different types of love, and while eros (romantic love) is what we usually associate with February, the words storge (familial love), agape (selfless love) and pragma (love that comes from a sense of commitment, duty, and understanding) are what drives family and friends to become non-traditional caregivers to the people they love.

National Caregivers Day (Friday, February 21) is a day to recognize the work of caregivers. Now, more than ever, middle-lifers are finding themselves as caregivers, simultaneously raising their children and taking care of their elderly parents (otherwise known as “the sandwich generation”).

Besides the obvious physical strains of caregiving, caring for the needs of a loved one who once took care of you is complicated and can be emotionally draining for the caregiver. Adding to the strain are the complex challenges of juggling care, work, children, and personal relationships, leading to feelings of anger, and being overwhelmed and burnt out; exhaustion can manifest in the disruption of healthy sleep and eating habits, and unhealthy coping behaviors, such as alcohol and drug abuse.

How can you help a caregiver to get the support that they need?

Provide emotional support. Listen to the caregiver’s concerns and help them to identify counseling or peer support groups, if needed. Be on the lookout for abuse of alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism.
Check-in on their physical health. Caregivers need to practice self-care, whether it involves seeing their health professional regularly to monitor their stress level and related illnesses, or to prevent injury from the added physical load of caring for someone.
Provide respite care for the caregiver. Sometimes a physical and emotional break can be all someone needs to recharge and face a new day. *Shut-In Visitation Day (February 11) is a day to visit people who are unable to leave their homes due to physical or mental illness. Connect with your loved ones while giving their caregiver some needed time away.
Make sure they have the resources they need. Help may be needed to investigate government benefits and navigate insurance coverage. Offer assistance in exploring workplace flexibility and researching education and training for caregivers.

The following resources may be of assistance to the caregiver:

Government sponsored websites such as www.health.gov, Maryland Department of Aging (https://aging.maryland.gov/pages/programsandservices.aspx), or Howard County Office on Aging and Independence (https://www.howardcountymd.gov/aging-independence)
Private organizations such as AARP (www.aarp.org), Caregiver Action Network (https://www.caregiveralliancenetwork.org/), or Family Caregiver Alliance (https://www.caregiver.org/)