New Year, New Resolutions

Happy 2007 to all family caregivers!  Del Oro Caregiver Resource Center staff wishes you a healthy year.  As the New Year begins, the tradition of creating “New Year Resolutions” also begins.  Whether you create New Year resolutions or not, we would like to encourage you to really invest time in you this year.  Whether you attend a support group, an educational workshop, or seek out support from family and friends for respite, we hope you will strive to make 2007 a healthy year for you. 

The value of self-care can not be underestimated.  We are here to support you and to encourage you in your caregiving.  If you have never attended a support group, perhaps this is the year to explore the myriad of caregiver support groups.  You will meet caregivers who experience the same feelings and frustrations as you experience.  You will be able to listen or share in a safe, productive and supportive environment.   There is a comprehensive listing of support groups on our website.  Just follow the link on the front page
http://www.deloro.org/resultspage.asp. 

We also encourage you to attend our educational workshops.  The workshops are free and limited in-home respite is usually available for attendees.  The topics vary from disease-specific topics such as “dealing with agitation when caring for a loved one diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease” to legal and financial planning.  To locate a workshop near you, please visit our webpage, following the following link:
http://www.deloro.org/education.htm.

 Finally, we encourage you to seek out support from families and friends.  Our families and friends often want to help but just don’t know what to do.  Offer specific tasks such as assisting by bringing over a pre-cooked dinner or staying with your loved one for three hours while you run errands or go to appointments.  Respite literally means a break from your caregiving responsibilities.   A bit of respite can go a long way in rejuvenating you in your caregiving responsibilities.

If we can provide assistance to you in your caregiving situation, please contact our office.  (800) 635-0220.