Cherokee, Iowa — Thirty-nine percent of all adult Americans are caring for a loved one who is sick or has a disability.
That’s from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. They tell us caregiving can be a stressful responsibility leading to poor health, mental distress, and less life satisfaction for the caregiver, and it can be challenging for caregivers to find the support that they need.
Extension offers educational resources and programs to help and support family caregivers at the local level. A one-session workshop for caregivers entitled “Managing Stress” is scheduled for this Tuesday, Nov. 29, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Cherokee. Caregivers who attend will learn about self-care strategies and techniques to increase relaxation and reduce stress.
Mackenzie DeJong, a human sciences specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach says that the “Managing Stress” workshop is a part of Extension’s “Powerful Tools for Caregivers,” offering. She says the multi-session “Powerful Tools for Caregivers” provides information, support strategies, communication techniques, stress reduction ideas and resources to assist family caregivers with their concerns related to caregiving. In the hour-and-a-half “Managing Stress” workshop DeJong says they will just focus on the one topic, managing stress.
The “Managing Stress” workshop is free for participants, but extension officials are asking that those attending register in advance for planning purposes. Participants can register online at https://go.iastate.edu/GX2GN6 or can call the church at 712-225-3955 to sign up.
DeJong says, “Caregivers who thrive, rather than just survive, understand that by taking care of themselves they are better able to provide the care their loved ones need.”
To learn more, visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/ptc-tools or contact DeJong at 712-541-8737 or mldejong@iastate.edu.
