Caregiving & Aging November 2023 Newsletter

Oct 31, 2023

National Family Caregiver Month

November is National Family Caregiver Month, a time to honor and support individuals who provide care to family or friends. The CDC reports that 23.5% of Minnesota adults 45 years or older are caregivers.

By celebrating National Family Caregiver Month, FamilyMeans Caregiving & Aging hopes to lift-up the many types of caregiving that are in our communities. We want to raise awareness of family caregivers and also caregiving to friends and neighbors. Caregivers often do many things that may include cooking, clean-ing, transportation to appointments, medication management, bathing, companionship and so much more. Caregivers may experience fatigue, isolation, stress and sometimes their own medical hardships.

FamilyMeans can provide educational opportunities, support and assistance to help caregivers thrive, not just survive. Our Caregiving & Aging staff provides coaching and consulting, education, support groups, res-pite care and Dementia Empowerment Services.

Please contact FamilyMeans Caregiving & Aging if you are a caregiver and would like to know what tools, services and supports are available for you.

If you are looking to support a caregiver you know, here are some easy ways to reach out to them:

• Be available to just listen as a friend
• Pick up needed items at the store – especially if it is snowing
• Offer to help drive to an appointment
• Call often to have adult conversations about anything other than caregiving
• Help with a project—it’s always easier to do things with someone else’s encouragement
• Take them out to lunch, a movie or walk in good weather
• Run errands—dry cleaning, pharmacy, library, pick up/return items, buy stamps
• Surprise them with their favorite coffee/tea/treat
• Do an activity/invite back to your house, so the caregivers can have time alone to recharge
• Bring over a meal, eat together and help with the dishes
• Send a card and let them know you are thinking of them today
• Encourage them to contact FamilyMeans Caregiving & Aging for support and information

Happy National Family Caregiver Month from FamilyMeans.
Look for the November Caregiver table display in our main lobby celebrating ALL wonderful caregivers!