Skip to main content
Community Foundation of Northern Nevada Logo

Self-care for the Caregiver June 2019 Update

"Caregivers attract caregivers and live in a community of love. They are energized by their caring, fulfilled, and they love life." - Gary Zukav, author

Caregiver Employee Toolkit Outreach 

We are doing corporate outreach to businesses in the local community to discuss the Caregiver Employee Toolkit. Nick Tscheekar and Luiza Benisano presented to the Northern Nevada Human Resources Association in Reno and Carson City. Toolkits were distributed to HR personnel and business owners. If you would like to find out more about the impact of caregivers in the workforce, please call the Community Foundation at 775-333-5499.

Self-care for the Caregiver 

Caregiving is rewarding, but it can also be stressful. Taking on the responsibility for someone else can be daunting. Know that it is important to take breaks and to take care of yourself too. Self-care tip: Laugh -- laughter and humor can bring balance to your life and emotions. Keep a positive attitude, share fun stories with the person you are caring for and other caregivers, and remember to laugh at least three times a day. For more tips on self-care, please check out your Washoe Caregivers Guidebook or download the Guidebook here: https://washoecaregivers.org/guidebook/.

 

Common Questions for Caregivers 

There are plenty of common questions that caregivers may have along their caregiving journey. You can find other caregiver questions at  https://washoecaregivers.org/common-questions/.

Question: "What are some tips to make medical appointments go more smoothly?" 

Answer: As a caregiver, it is helpful to be familiar with healthcare. As you may know, medical appointments can be stressful and frustrating, but there are tips to make these appointments more beneficial for you, the person you are caring for, and the doctor. Here are some basic tips to help make these visits go more smoothly:

  • Prioritize what you both would like to discuss. Ask about the most important things first.
  • Write down the physician's instructions so you can go over what was said and done with your family member when you return home.
  • Make sure that your family member speaks for themselves if they are able to do so. Try not to talk over them and try to only step in if they miss any important information to tell the doctor.
  • Ask questions! There are no silly questions.

What are some of your tips when it comes to making medical appointments?

To learn more about the many other local resources listed to help caregivers, please visit https://washoecaregivers.org/.