Stories in This Issue:
- Thank You
- New Year's Resolutions for Caregivers
- January Is Glaucoma Awareness Month
- February Is Love Month
- March Is Nutrition Month
- The Book Nook
- Caregiving With Siblings
- How to Create a Caregiving Calendar for Family Caregivers
THANK YOU
Thank you to all those who were able to come out and engage in our Annual Caregiver Conference on November 17, 2023, entitled, “It’s All About Perspective: Caregiving Through a Different Lens.” It was a wonderful day full of informative speakers, good food and fellowship! Here are some things attendees had to say about the conference:
- “Great event!”
- “You have given me confidence.”
- “Thank you for providing a most needed program for caregivers.”
We hope you can join us for our Virtual Spring Mini-Conference coming soon on Thursday, May 9!
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR CAREGIVERS
Embrace the time you have: Caregiving may get overwhelming at times, but it won’t last forever. The moments we have with our loved ones are special, even if stress and responsibility often prevent us from enjoying them. By trying to appreciate some of these moments a little more, you might begin to feel more secure and confident about your caregiving situation.
Don’t stress about things you can’t control: Understand that there are many things that are simply out of our control. In the new year, take a step back and remember that you can’t control or solve every situation, and that is okay.
Reach out for help: Before you are stretched thin or unable to meet all the obligations you’ve set, reach out to family and friends for assistance. Be specific and direct with them about what you need to make the most out of the assistance you can receive.
Source: dailycaring.com
JANUARY IS NATIONAL GLAUCOMA AWARENESS MONTH
Glaucoma is described as a group of diseases that can negatively affect the optic nerve and cause vision loss or blindness. The optic nerve is a bundle of nerves that work together to carry messages from the eye to the brain. In the beginning stages, there might not be many symptoms or pain associated with glaucoma. As time goes on, however, one might gradually lose peripheral vision. If left untreated, it can worsen and decrease central vision until complete blindness occurs. Although there is no cure for glaucoma, there is treatment to prevent it from getting worse, such as eye drops and surgery. To protect your vision be sure to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once every two years, especially if you are African American, Mexican American or have a family history of glaucoma.
Source: Don’t Lose Sight of Glaucoma
FEBRUARY IS LOVE MONTH
Take the time to reflect on the love you give yourself and others.
Join us on Wednesday, February 14, at 11 a.m. to practice a "Loving Kindness Meditation" with Kathleen Koenig-Stoffel, Caregiver Support Manager.
Email the Caregiver Support Program at caregivers@baltimorecountymd.gov to register.
MARCH IS NUTRITION MONTH
Patricia Compton said “Nutrition isn’t just about eating, It’s about learning to live."
Join us on Wednesday, March 13 at 11 a.m. to learn about the "MIND Diet and Meal Planning Made Easy" with Melanie Berdyck, licensed dietician.
This uniquely combined course discusses creating nutritious and delicious meals on a budget in addition to practicing different lifestyle habits for better brain health.
Email the Caregiver Support Program at caregivers@baltimorecountymd.gov to register.
CAREGIVING WITH SIBLINGS
During childhood, it is not uncommon for siblings to bump heads and face what is known as “sibling rivalry.” Sibling rivalry isn’t always something that is outgrown in adulthood either. Some reasons for the contention between siblings could be a result of parental favoritism, similar personality features, different life views, and geographical proximity. Whatever the reason however, it can unfortunately result in arguments, strained communication and estrangement from one another.
When roles reverse and it is time for children to give care for a parent who is ill, the issues between siblings could become heightened. Some tips to cope with sibling conflict are:
Avoiding triangles: When communicating with your siblings, try not to include others in the conversation such as your children, spouses or parents as it could create more issues for other members of the family.
See their perspective: The point of hearing your sibling out is not to entirely understand and work through all underlying issues but instead to create a stepping stone for more open communication about the things that are to come within your family.
Acceptance: Be more accepting that your sibling might not get to a point of giving you the support and understanding that is needed during the life-changing event. You can try however, to make a list of all the things that might be bothering you about your sibling and cross off the small things (attempting to let go of insignificant things and move forward).
Source: How to Handle the Stress of Sibling Rivalry
THE BOOK NOOK
"They're Your Parents Too!" by Francine Russo
Francine Russo discusses insight, information and advice on how to manage family caregiving. Russo discusses how to make productive choices pertaining to managing finances, medical and end-of-life decisions, lessening conflict, guilt and anger amongst siblings, and how to work together to ensure the best quality of care for parents.
HOW TO CREATE A CAREGIVING CALENDAR FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS
One approach to organizing all the components of caring for a loved one is to create a caregiving calendar.
Make a list of all caregiving duties such as doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping and meal prepping, medication schedule, household chores, etc.
Send the list to everyone on the care team, which consists of anyone who is willing to help with the tasks.
Have a meeting whether in person or virtually for everyone to sign up for and discuss what they can contribute. Another approach is to use a scheduling tool such as an app where everyone involved can list, share and edit tasks. This makes it visible for everyone to see as soon as additions and edits are made. Include long distance family members who can still contribute to caring for loved ones with things such as paying bills, managing other finances, organizing meal deliveries, etc.
Remember to be patient and open for help. Teamwork can better help coordinate the division of responsibilities, in turn providing a higher quality of care for your loved ones.