Caregivers - Talk to Us, We Can Help
There are many rewards to caregiving although caregivers may also feel:
- overwhelmed
- person they care for won’t cooperate
- financial burdens
- family conflict
- loss of personal time and privacy
- isolated from friends/family
- stress from juggling job, family, and caregiving responsibility
Caregivers often put their loved one first, neglecting themselves physically, mentally and emotionally.
Caregivers may feel overwhelmed and experience difficult emotions such as anxiety, guilt, depression, anger, frustration or resentment. This is a normal part of caregiving, but one that needs to be paid attention to. It is not selfish for caregivers to take care of themselves. Support counselors are licensed social workers who help caregivers gain more understanding of their feelings and develop skills to better handle the stresses and difficult emotions of caregiving. The one on one meetings are confidential and strive to empower the family caregiver to find strength and hope within themselves.
Caregivers who received counseling said: “Because of the counseling, I.....
- feel less stressed knowing about support services”
- know help is just a call away”
- gained confidence”
- feel better about my situation”
- feel supported”
- have somewhere to turn”
- feel less stress”
- know my feeling were all normal for the situation”
If you share these, or similar feelings, the Caregiver Resource Center can help you deal with the stresses of being a caregiver. A professional caregiver support counselor will meet with you wherever you prefer, at a time that’s convenient. They will help you clarify the challenges you face, figure out the best ways of dealing with them and provide support. Services are confidential, and there is no cost, although a small, voluntary contribution of $25 to help defray costs is suggested and appreciated.
Erie County Department of Senior Services (716) 858-8526
95 Franklin St. — Room 1329, Buffalo, NY 14202
website: erie.gov/seniorservices e-mail: caregiver@erie.gov
The Administration on Aging and the NYS Office for the Aging help bring these key programs to our community.