A new, free, six-state pilot project is lending a sympathetic ear to overwhelmed family caregivers, as well as providing connections to resources.
South Dakota is one of the participating states and since last fall, the statewide 211 Helpline has been offering a service for those caring for an adult, where they can call in and talk with a specialist.
Emily DeVos, who coordinates the 211 Helpline’s caregiver support, says with many folks stepping into the role of caring for a loved one for the first time, they don’t know what resources are available.
“It is for that self care, the safe space, talking about what’s going on. And then there’s also just the fact of – it’s exhausting. It’s exhausting to make these phone calls, it’s exhausting to even know who in the community is doing this.”
AARP state director Erik Gaikowski says this type of service can help all involved avoid scenarios where there is too much stress– which can compound an already difficult situation.
“We often see caregivers starting to not take care of themselves and just focusing solely on the person that’s being cared for. And this is an opportunity for them to take a step back and realize that they need to take care of themselves to make sure that the person they are caregiving for also is taken care of into the future.”
AARP estimates there are 90-thousand family caregivers in South Dakota with an average age of caregiver calling the service being 61. The callers are likely caring for a spouse, an elderly parent or a grown child with special needs.
At year’s end, the program will be evaluated to determine if it should be added in other states.
(Story courtesy of the Greater Dakota News Service.)
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