Time Off?

I am more than a little insulted by the comment I've heard more than once in the past two months, "Are you enjoying your time off?"  Seriously?  Is that what you think I am doing?

I'm a full-time caregiver.  I resigned my position at school because my husband needed my support at home.   We were fortunate that he could come to work with me and offer his services as a volunteer so that I could keep an eye on him and not leave him home alone.  It was a quick fix, and while he still volunteers when he is able, taking him to work with me was not a long term solution.

Yes, I'm at home.  But guess what?  I am working.  Not only am I providing 24 hour support for my husband, I am the Volunteer Coordinator for Family Of a Vet, an AMAZING non-profit organization that is working tirelessly for veterans and familes.  FOV currently has almost 250 Grassroots Volunteers.  Through our website, facebook page, and social media we reach tens of thousands of people each month!  I am on call around the clock to provide support and resources for our members. The past two months have been filled with late FOV nights, and busy days.  Here is a run-down of what I do:

• advocate for veterans and families
• locate and provide resources
• research
• moderate group rooms online
• offer ongoing support to our members online and through email and phone calls
• manage the "virtual" volunteer database
• coordinate and host the weekly Caregiver's Edition of our Life After Combat Blog Talk Radio Show
• coordinate with staff on projects including our blogs, fundraising, website, networking
• use social media to raise awareness of veterans issues

I may not be working in the conventional sense, but I'm making a difference in the lives of veterans and families.  I am providing the support I wish I'd had six years ago when we started this crazy roller coaster life of uncertainty.

You may think I'm just goofing off, but actually facebook is my office. Family Of a Vet is a non-profit run by veterans and family members who *GET IT* and are trying to reach out to others who are struggling like us to help and offer support and education.

Shared by Family Of a Vet, Inc., a national non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to helping veterans and their families learn how to cope with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), TBI (traumatic brain injury) and life after combat through real-world, plain language education and resources for heroes, families, and communities.

If you know a veteran or loved one that we can help, please encourage them to visit us:

One the web - www.familyofavet.com 

On facebook - www.facebook.com/lifeaftercombat

On Twitter - www.twitter.com/familyofavet

On our blog - http://blog.familyofavet.com/

On Blog Talk Radio - www.blogtalkradio.com/familyofavet

On YouTube - www.youtube.com/familyofavet

In Honor of National Family Caregivers Month

Caregiver stress fact sheet from Womens Health
Caregiver stress is the emotional and physical strain of caregiving. It can take many forms. For     instance, you may feel:

• Frustrated and angry taking care of someone with dementia who often wanders away or becomes easily upset
• Guilty because you think that you should be able to provide better care, despite all the other things that you have to do
• Lonely because all the time you spend caregiving has hurt your social life
• Exhausted when you go to bed at night  

5 Ways to Bring Yourself Back from Burnout by Martha Beck from O, The Oprah Magazine

I believe my stage is "Hitting the Wall."  I did learn that needing less activity and more sleep is normal in this stage--no more guilt!

Relationships and PTSD from the Department of Veterans Affairs

Post-Traumatic Stress and a Traumatic Brain Injury strain a marriage from Veterans Voices

So sad and so true.

Caregiving and TBI

Caregiving for Someone with a TBI: A Unique Experience
Carolyn Rocchio, a mother and longtime caregiver as well as a nationally recognized advocate, author, and speaker in the field of brain injury, talks with BrainLine about learning to be a caregiver for her son with TBI.

Sarah Wade: A Military Wife and Caregiver's Story
Military wife, caregiver, and brain injury advocate Sarah Wade talks with BrainLine Military about her husband's injuries sustained while combat in Iraq.

Excerpts from BrainLine's webcast Caregiving and TBI: What You Need to Know. You can find other segments from the webcast here.

Why YOU Matter!

In honor of National Family Caregivers Month I want to share an inspriational article from Voice of Warriors
Why YOU Matter!

Here is some sage advice from Maxine Thompson and eHow.

How to Be a Caregiver for a Spouse

Take some time this month to appreciate yourself.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for ALL you do!

November is National Family Caregivers Month

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

November 01, 2011

PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION--NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH, 2011

NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH, 2011

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

 

Across our country, millions of family members, neighbors, and friends provide care and support for their loved ones during times of need. With profound compassion and selflessness, these caregivers sustain American men, women, and children at their most vulnerable moments, and through their devoted acts, they exemplify the best of the American spirit. During National Family Caregivers Month, we pay tribute to the individuals throughout America who ensure the health and well-being of their relatives and loved ones.

 

Many of our Nation's family caregivers assist seniors and people with disabilities to help improve their quality of life. Their efforts help deliver short term comfort and security, facilitate social engagement, and help individuals stay in their homes and communities as long as possible. This heroic work is often done while caregivers balance other commitments to their families, jobs, and communities. As these remarkable individuals put their own lives on hold to tend to their family members, it is our responsibility to ensure they do not have to do it alone.

 

To ease the emotional and financial burdens that can accompany caregiving, my Administration has striven to support family caregivers for the crucial role they perform. Vice President Joe Biden's Middle Class Task Force has focused on the importance or investing in respite care, counseling, and training for individuals who serve aging Americans. These initiatives would give family caregivers a leg up as they continue to support their aging loved ones.

 

One of our Nation's greatest responsibilities is to ensure our veterans, their families, and their caregivers receive lasting and comprehensive support. Last year, I signed the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, which helps fulfill this obligation by extending additional assistance to family members who care for severely wounded veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Our military caregivers exemplify the heroism found not only on the fields of battle, but also in the hearts of those who tend to our wounded warriors when they come home.

 

As we observe National Family Caregivers Month, we honor the tireless compassion of Americans who heal, comfort, and support our injured, our elders, and people with disabilities. This month and throughout the year, let the quiet perseverance of our family caregivers remind us of the decency and kindness to which we can all aspire.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2011 as National Family Caregivers Month. I encourage all Americans to pay tribute to those who provide for the health and well-being of their family members, friends, and neighbors.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

 

BARACK OBAMA

Additional information is available here:

November is National Family Caregiver Month

Caregiver Appreciation Month
Great resources from Army One Source