This is a sponsored post on behalf of Element Associates and Midlife Boulevard.
My MIL is in the final stages of Alzheimer’s. She can no longer care for herself, actually she hasn’t been able to do that in quite some time. She relies on her caregivers to do everything for her. November is National Family Caregivers month, and the Random Acts of Kindness initiative aims to recognize and support the 40 million unpaid caregivers in the U.S. Many caregivers are boomer women, often sandwiched between the needs of their parents and their own kids.
I’m sure we all know someone who is the main caregiver for a loved one – maybe YOU’RE the caregiver in your family, caring for a Mother or Father that can no longer function without you.
A popular misconception is that caregivers are paid medical professionals, providing full-time care to someone in need of daily help, when in reality, most caregivers are family members or friends who are also working and managing their own families at the same time. For many, the caregiving role starts with simple things like scheduling a doctor’s visit or helping with daily errands, but gradually expands over time, until it becomes a major commitment in their lives.
How can you help?
November has seen the kick-off for a program designed to encouraging all Americans to perform an unexpected ‘Random Act of Kindness’ for a caregiver. By starting a nationwide movement, we’ll raise awareness of caregiving and caregivers while at the same time reaching caregivers directly—helping to alleviate some of their daily stresses and reward them for their ongoing support.
Let me tell you about Random Acts of Kindness for Caregivers
-
The ask is simple—identify someone in your life or in your community who is serving as a caregiver and do something nice for them. It doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, just a small gesture that makes a caregiver’s life a little easier.
-
We’re also asking that participants share their story with us. If they submit a 150 word or less summary of how they made a caregiver feel special and photo, they’ll be entered to win a cash prize from our $10,000 pot.
Almost three in ten people who are caring for someone say their life has changed with caregiving, oftentimes for the negative. More than one in five say their weight, their exercise, or their social life has/have suffered. Emotionally, one in five say they are generally unhappier and one in three say they feel sad or depressed. That’s why AARP created a community where caregivers can connect with experts and other caregivers and can find information and tools to take even better care of the person who once took care of them.
Do you know a Caregiver? Please share this with them & let them know there are resources available to help, they don’t have to travel this road alone.
