I want to share a great resource for all caregivers. No one should be on a caregiving journey alone when there are resources like this available. Strength for Caring is wonderful resource for caregivers. Please take the time to, see how they can help you by finding resources that you need, chat with someone going through the same things you are and much more.

The Johnson & Johnson Caregiver Initiative is a pioneer in the emerging field of family caregiver support and StrengthForCaring.com (SFC) is the cornerstone of this important program. SFC is a comprehensive website designed to provide family caregivers with a broad range of expert content and information, an emerging on-line community, daily inspiration, and much needed support.

The Caregiver Initiative will launch new programs in the coming months. We are proud to work with other caregiving organizations across America to support the more than 54 million family caregivers who provide care for their loved ones each and every day.

SFC contains four main sections:

* Just for Caregivers - Find ways to take care of yourself while you are caring for others.

• learn how to decrease stress

• stop feeling guilty

• find ways to balance mind, body, work and family

* Caring for Others – Tips for daily care and information about health conditions.

• find information about caring for your loved one’s specific health condition

• learn how to communicate with healthcare professionals

• get practical caregiving tips for safety and daily care

* Connecting Caregivers - Share stories and find support.

• post a message

• ask for advice

• talk to other caregivers on our message boards

* Resource Center – Find caregiver news, books and brochures about caregiving, links to other sites, and more.

• research housing options for your loved one

• read articles about money and insurance

• find multicultural caregiving resources

By Sheila Warnock
WHO TAKES CARE OF THE CAREGIVER?

People facing a medical crisis try to “circle the wagons” and tough it out. The result is usually caregiver burnout. While the doctors, nurses, therapists and medical community take care of the patient and the illness, the needs of the caregiver are often overlooked. Who will drive the kids to school? How can we get the shopping done? How do we schedule and keep doctors’ appointments? Ordinary tasks quickly turn into major needs-and soon overwhelm the primary caregiver.

There is a way to make a difference…SHARE THE CARE^TM

Share The Care is a cost effective, supportive, community-based group caregiving model born out of the experience of 12 people (mostly strangers to each other) who came together and stayed together for over three years to care for a friend with terminal cancer. Two of them wrote the book so others wouldn’t have to reinvent the wheel.
It’s called Share The Care, How to Organize a Group to Care for Someone Who Is Seriously Ill, Simon & Schuster (1995, 2004)

Share The Care details how ordinary people can pool their talents, time and resources and create a “caregiving family” to help someone they know facing a health or medical crisis. A Share The Care group supports not only the person in need but their entire family as well. And if someone has no family nearby the group becomes “family.” It’s a sure way of turning offers of “What can I do to help?” into positive action.

A Share The Care group can help regardless of the situation-whether the person (or child) is in need of short-term rehabilitation, suffering from a long-term or terminal illness, or someone is just facing the increased difficulties associated with aging. For example, a church group in Texas recently organized to help a new family in town with the care of their newborn quadruplets.

The model has served as a blueprint for groups in at least 38 states, as well as internationally in Canada, Iceland, and Israel. In May 2005, The Library Journal cited it as “One of the best consumer health books of 2004.” Share The Care is also a winner of Today’s Caregiver magazine’s 2008 Caregiver Friendly Award.

The mission of ShareThecaregiving, Inc. (a 501c3 organization) is to promote and educate people about group caregiving. We offer Share The Care trainings, lectures and customized workshops for health professionals, clergy and caregivers. Our web site www.sharethecare.org provides in-depth information about the model. Visitors can read about groups, find helpful resources, link to purchase the book, download all the forms in the book, and provide feedback on their experiences through a questionnaire. We offer weekday e-mail, and phone support to caregivers and health professionals.

Donations can be made through Network for Good on our web site. Your gifts help us cover the costs of producing our educational materials. And we’d love to know if you start a Share The Care group to help someone in need.

By Laura Heuer

Expert Health Organizer/Consultant
Answers by Sharon Gacki of The ALS Association, St. Louis Regional Chapter

Q- How long it usually takes to get a diagnosis of ALS?

A- ALS is often a difficult disease to diagnosis and can take some time. There is no one test for identifying ALS. The diagnosis is made by ruling out many other possibilities and by observing the continuing loss of muscle over a period of months. Most patients are diagnosed by a neurologist and have undergone an EMG, a nerve conduction test, and a muscle biopsy for confirmation.

Q- Are there any tell tale signs of ALS?

A- Because the disease is difficult to diagnosis and symptoms mimic other diseases, there are not many tell-tale signs of ALS. Typical symptoms may include: fatigue, respiratory concerns, muscle weakness or stiffness, muscle spasms, poor fine-motor coordination, swallowing difficulties, tongue weakness, speaking difficulties, and/or mobility difficulties.

Q- What are some steps you can take to help the process along if there are any in getting an accurate diagnosis?

A- The diagnosis of ALS is usually done by a neurologist through a careful examination of the medical history, a neurological examination, and the routine tests used to establish a diagnosis of ALS. By getting to a neurologist as early as possible and having the medical history in place, a person can help with the diagnosis process.

Q- What are some of the best tips you feel will help a patient once they have been diagnosed?

A- Once a patient is diagnosed, he or she should contact their local ALS Association. The St. Louis Regional Chapter offers a comprehensive network of in-home services, at no cost, to patient and family members. Additionally, a strong alliance exists with other not-for-profit organizations that are familiar with ALS. Lastly, a community partnership program with multiple local service providers offers specialized medical services to patients and families. Through these collective efforts, the chapter has created a solid continuum of care for ALS patients in Eastern Missouri as well as Central and Southern Illinois.

Q- How do you feel is the best way to get your family and friends to understand your diagnosis?

A- Most ALS patients appreciate when their family and friends take the time and opportunities to learn about ALS either though written material supplied by local ALS Associations or by using reputable Web sites. In addition, family and friends should not be afraid to ask the patient questions about what is happening to them as well as letting the patient discuss their feelings about the disease and its progression. Patients will tell the person if they are uneasy about discussing their diagnosis and symptoms.

For more information about ALS and an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis diagnosis please visit www.alsa-stl.org.

Contact Jakoter @ 847-719-2054 or www.jakoter.com for products that will assist you in organizing your emergency and everyday health needs, for a Professional Consultant to help organize your health journeys and for expert medical advocacy and consulting.

Share the Care. Forming caregiving groups for people who are seriously ill. Great read by Julie Deardoff!read more | digg story