Now Available: The Encyclopedia of Family Caregiving
Our go-to resource features your stories, wisdom, insights and recommendations.
This summer, a follower on Twitter asked me to write The Encyclopedia of Caregiving.Â
Why couldn’t we all write it, I wondered?
The Encyclopedia of Family Caregiver offers a guide for all of us to share experiences, resources and strategies as we worry about, help and/or care for a family member or friend.Â
I also want the Encyclopedia to become a snapshot of the reality of caregiving right now. This summer, as I cared for my mom, we had a terrible experience with our hospice provider. What if I could share that experience to help another family caregiver? The Encyclopedia includes assessments of providers you use, including from when you first start to use one. Our first experience with a provider often sets the stage.Â
I hope our Encyclopedia of Family Caregiving becomes your go-to resource to receive support and to help you manage the impact of your caregiving responsibilities and experience on your days.
A Living Document
Our Encyclopedia is a work in progress because so much can change so quickly. As a participant in and contributor to our Encyclopedia, you’ll receive regular updates on content and resources we add.
The Encyclopedia will be a collection of stories, insights, suggestions, wisdom and inspiration. You’ll find a section for each of the six caregiving stages, a concept I initially developed in 1997 and regularly refine and revise. We also include prompts to help you assess:
Your day. We’d love for you to share about your day with us. When we better understand your day, we can create better support for you.
Your needs and worries. When we gain insights into your stress, we can offer solutions to help minimize the pressure you experience.
A Daily Resource of Recommendations
The Encyclopedia of Family Caregiving also asks you to list your recommendations for clothing, equipment, supplies and products. You also can share photos of your day, join our regular chats and create your own group. Our goal is to create a resource which becomes a regular companion throughout your experience while also changing as a caregiving experience changes.
The Encyclopedia of Family Caregiving is a free course and includes The Caregiving Department group. Through the group, you can post questions to our Certified Caregiving Consultants, who can offer guidance, ideas and suggestions.
Join us to start sharing your days, your recommendations and your stresses. We look forward to connecting with you! I also am grateful for the opportunity to learn from you.
Updates
Care and Share: Our Big Ideas
Join us November 4 to share an idea to improve the caregiving experience. Deadline to submit a proposal is September 24. Learn more and submit your proposals to present: https://www.careyearsacademy.com/events/The Caring Conference: Our Hopeful Futures
Join us November 10 to share your hopes for our futures. Deadline to submit a proposal is September 27. Learn more and submit your proposals to present: https://www.careyearsacademy.com/events/What’s Next?
When a personal caregiving experience ends, you may wonder: What’s next for me? Because of your personal caregiving experience, you’ll look at your life’s work with a fresh perspective. During this interactive workshop, I will help you see possibilities for your career or your volunteer work. RSVP to join me on September 30 at 1 p.m. ET (Noon CT, 10 a.m PT). Can’t join us live? Register to receive the recording.