Family Caregiving

More than 44 million American Families are Caring for a Loved One at Home.

Caring for a parent, spouse or friend at home can be overwhelming. If you are like most caregivers you want to feel you are doing everything you can to provide the best care possible. Plus like many caregivers, you may have many other commitments including a job and additional family.

But you're not alone. The American Red Cross has a Family Caregiving Program and a Family Caregiving reference guide to assist caregivers. This exciting new program offers you a helping hand by providing a variety of information-packed sessions covering topics that can help you provide the care that your loved one may need, including subjects such as home safety, healthy eating, and bathing, as well as legal and financial issues. There's even a session that helps you take care of yourself.

This Family Caregiving Program has been designed to:

• Teach skills for caring for the elderly, chronically ill and disabled at home;
• Help organizations in the communities served by the American Red Cross provide services that benefit the growing senior population
• Prepare families to take on the responsibility and challenges of caring for a loved one at home.

The program consists of nine individual topic-based modules for caregivers. Choose those modules that best fit your needs - they can be taken separately or in combination. Topics include:

• Home Safety
• General Caregiving Skills
• Positioning and Helping Your Loved One Move
• Assisting with Personal Care
• Healthy Eating
• Caring for the Caregiver
• Legal and Financial Issues
• Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer's Disease or Dementia
• Caring for a Loved One with HIV/AIDS

Each module is offered in a one hour session and for a nominal fee. No matter which module is selected, participants will enhance their skills, reduce stress and build confidence.

Become a Family Caregiving Leader or Authorized Provider For information about becoming a Family Caregiving leader or authorized provider, please contact your local chapter or click here.

Acknowledgements In developing the Family Caregiving Program, the American Red Cross received guidance and support from many organizations and individuals with expertise working with caregivers, including the following organizations:

• AARP
  www.aarp.org
• Administration on Aging
  www.aoa.gov
• Alzheimer's Association, National Capital Area Chapter
  www.alz-nca.org
• Caregiver's Marketplace
  www.caregiversmarketplace.com
• CDC
  www.cdc.gov
• Philips Lifeline
  www.lifelinesys.com/affiliate/redcrossma
• Medicare.gov
  www.medicare.gov
• National Alliance for Caregiving
  www.caregiving.org
• National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
  www.n4a.org
• National Family Caregivers Association
  www.nfcacares.org
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
  www.nhpco.org
• National Respite Locator Service
  www.respitelocator.org

For more information about the Family Caregiving Program, please contact your local American Red Cross Chapter.

Learn About More Health and Safety Training Programs
Health and Safety training programs from the American Red Cross help build safer homes, workplaces and communities. Find out more about these Health and Safety programs:

• First Aid (http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/courses/)
• CPR (http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/courses/)
• Automated External Defibrillator (AED) (http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/courses/)
• Bloodborne Pathogens-Preventing Disease Transmission (http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/courses/bloodborne.html)
• HIV/AIDS Awareness (http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/hivaids/)
• Community Disease Education (http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/hivaids/basic.html)

Contact your local American Red Cross chapter (http://www.redcross.org/where/where.html) to learn more about these life-saving programs.