Mentoring

Caring for a Family Member

There are various times in our lives where we wax and wane from being the family member that is being taken care of and taking care of others. Being a caregiver for a child, spouse, parent, or grandparent can be a daunting task in addition to the busy lives that we lead. Caregivers must also remember to take care of themselves prior to serving others, just like we are required to place our oxygen mask on ourselves first before helping others in case of emergency in a flight. Here are some helpful tips on being a caregiver.

1. 5 Steps for First-Time Family Caregivers
2. Family Caregiver Alliance Frequently Asked Questions
3. Family Caregiver Alliance: Taking Care of YOU: Self-Care for Family Caregivers
4. The Secret to Being a Happy Caregiver
5. A Beginner’s Guide to Medicaid: Payment for Family Caregiver
6. OPM Fact Sheet: Sick Leave to Care for a Family Member with a Serious Health Condition
7. The Blessings and Challenges of Caring for Older Family Members
8. Family Caregiving
9. Can You Get Paid to Take Care of Your Mom?
10. American Psychological Association: Caring for Yourself and Your Family Member

Grief Resources

If you have experienced traumas, including deaths, losses, violence or other assaults, you may be experiencing memories and feelings from those events. For very public traumas, even those who have not directly experienced the crisis may be affected. Please recognize that experiencing any of these can be normal reactions and that, with time, there is a natural healing process which occurs.

Studies have linked bereavement or grief to depression, anxiety-related symptoms and disorders, impaired immune function, poorer physical health, increased physician visits, increased use of alcohol and cigarettes, suicide, and increased mortality from conditions such as cardiovascular disease.

Grief can sometimes take us through phases that come and go and often confuse us; not often clean or distinct. Here are a few tips from the faculty at Georgia Southern University that may help with your journey: http://students.georgiasouthern.edu/counseling/resources/tragedy-resources/

In today’s technology age there are also many digital tools to assist with the grieving process. See the link below for some of the very innovative and beneficial tools being used by faculty:https://thenextweb.com/apps/2017/12/09/technology-coping-digital-tools-grieving/