In the quiet strength of caregiving, there can often be little room for rest – let alone recognition.
In honor of National Caregiver Month, Seward County Aging Services is offering local caregivers a moment of respite, community and support.
The Revitalize Caregiver Retreat will be Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Seward County Fairgrounds’ Harvest Hall. It will kick off with speakers presenting on self-care and mental health aspects of caregiving and how to prepare for future transitions to further care.
There will also be a representative from Nebraska AARP presenting on the caregiver tax credit that was recently passed and how it can impact families who qualify.
Comedian T. Marni Vos will be at the retreat to add a splash of joy to the day, and lunch will be available, according to Seward County Aging Services program manager Alison Rook.
Caregiving can be a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week job, and being a caregiver for a loved one is often necessary due to the high costs often associated with living centers, Rook said. According to data from AARP, unpaid care provided by family caregivers is valued at $2.8 billion in Nebraska.
Some caregivers have such a high-pressure role that they must find someone to stand in for them while they complete tasks as simple as grabbing groceries, getting a haircut or going out for a cup of coffee with friends.
“It can be very isolating because your focus becomes so much on that other person that you can kind of forget about taking care of yourself,” Rook said.
The event is free to anyone who self-identifies as a caregiver, meaning they help provide consistent care for someone else. This can be through completing household chores, doing check-ins or giving personal care.
People can register for the retreat at https://tinyurl.com/becauseicare24.
“It’s for anyone who's a caregiver, but I also think family members who support caregivers,” said Aging Partners Advisory Council member Susan Burkey. “If your mother is a caregiver, it would be really good for the daughter to come and support so she knows the support, the resources available, too.”
Burkey helped organize the retreat and said she wishes there had been events like this in the past when she was a caregiver for her parents.
The retreat is made possible by the support of community organizations and businesses that have donated door prizes, food, time and more. Rook said anyone interested in helping can reach out to her at arook@sewardcountyne.gov.
The event will give attendees the chance to build a sense of community with fellow caregivers.
“We're going to have some opportunity where they can just talk amongst each other and, if they're comfortable, share their story, share the challenges they may have, ask questions, look around the room and say ‘You're not alone,’” Rook said.
