Getting Support
Three Types of Support Needed for Caregivers
When it's time to ask for support as a caregiver, you’ll be more likely to get help if you clearly identify what type of support you need and where you can get it. The three basic types of support needed by most caregivers are:
Emotional Support: This is needed to help you deal with your feelings, depression, isolation and the sense of being overwhelmed. In many cases, friends and family can provide you with the emotional support you need. Visits, chats on the phone, e-mails or a little time away to see a movie or go to a restaurant can go a long way to making you feel “normal,” loved, cheered up and refreshed. Pets can even give you emotional support. They know when we’re feeling down and need us to reassure them, which in turn makes us feel better. Other caregivers are also a great source of emotional support. Who knows better how you feel? However, sometimes you may need to seek professional help. Counselors, ministers and social workers understand more than you realize. They deal with people in your situation all the time and have coping skills they can teach you. Just the idea that it’s going to be somebody’s job to listen to your problems every week can help you make it through another day. If you need help, get it.