Caregivers do a lot for sick, elderly and disabled people, but it may come with a lot of stress.
Eastpointe and the Sampson County Department of Aging are collaborating for a special workshop to focus on the needs of individuals who look out for people in need.
“Caring for the Caregiver,” is scheduled from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, at the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center, located at 414 Warsaw Road. The purpose of the event is explore helpful tips for managing stress and being a healthier caregiver.
According to health officials, caring for people can strain resilient people. Often, they neglect their own physical, emotional and mental well-being. Information will be provided by Eastpointe’s Geriatric/Adult Mental Health and Emily Carlyle of the Speciality Team.
According to a report from the National Alliance for Caregiving and the American Association of Retired Persons, caregivers not only face emotional strain, but financial stress as well.
“We’re especially concerned that not enough is being done to support family caregivers in the public or private sector as they age,” stated Gail Gibson Hunt, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving. “There’s a double-edged sword when we fail to support caregivers, because we put both the caregiver and the care recipient at risk.”
Statistics indicated that close to 40 percent of caregivers have high emotional stress from the demands of caregiving.
The upcoming workshop is one of several held throughout the year. In June, Sampson’s Department of Aging scheduled a dementia sensitivity training workshop, with the purpose of spreading understanding about the disorder.
Lesia Henderson, a family caregiver support specialist, previously said the workshops are a great resource for people.
“Throughout the year, there’s a continuation of workshops that we do to help the caregiver or the help the general public understand what families go through, so they’ll be better caregivers,” Henderson said.
Space is limited and pre-registration is required by this Tuesday, Aug. 9. Refreshments will be provided by Liberty Home Health & Hospice. For more information, contact Lesia Henderson at 910-592-4653 or via email at [email protected].