American Red Cross Family Caregiving Program

Article submitted by David Bloom.
For more information, he can be reached at 1-800-994-1143.

The purpose of the Family Caregiving Program is to help participants gain an understanding of what is involved in caring for a loved one and know how to provide that care through 1-hour modules covering topics such as personal care, nutrition, home safety and others. This information is of vital importance to those caring for their loved ones who suffer from chronic illness or disabilities. Participants receive a booklet for each module.

The module, Home Safety, helps to prepare individuals who are family caregivers to provide a safe environment for themselves and the person in their care by keeping their homes safe from hazards and fires; to recognize the importance of knowing how to use equipment such as wheelchairs; to understand how to protect themselves and their loved one from infection; and to understand how to be prepared for emergencies.

General Caregivng helps to prepare caregivers to measure their loved one's vital signs such as pulse, respirations and body temperature and how to assist with medications.

Positioning and Helping Your Loved One Move will help prepare caregivers to safely position and help their loved one move by applying principles of good body mechanics; to understand the importance of repositioning a loved one who spends a lot of time in bed; to recognize how to prevent pressure ulcers; and to understand how to safely help their loved one move.

Assisting with Personal Care is a module that will help prepare individuals to assist their loved one with personal care such as bathing, grooming and using the toilet.

Healthy Eating will help prepare caregivers to learn about good nutrition and helping their loved one eat.

Caring for the Caregiver will help prepare caregivers to care for their own health while caring for a loved one.

Legal and Financial Issues will help prepare individuals to understand the legal issues surrounding caring for someone and planning his or her health care; and understand financial issues such as insurance information and budgeting.

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or Dementia helps to inform caregivers to understand how to deal with the common behaviors, how to provide care and to recognize the signs of depression associated with this disease.