By National Family Caregivers Association

At NFCA we talk a great deal about family caregiver self-advocacy and learning to manage caregiving rather than letting it overwhelm you. The articles below discuss ideas and raise questions about how each of us can become a family caregiver advocate.

NFCA National Initiatives

NFCA is a national organization and we strive to create change on a national level. One change we are working toward is helping family caregivers actually recognize that they are family caregivers, that the care they provide today out of feelings of love, and a sense of duty goes well beyond the level of care provided for ill or aged loved ones in any previous generation.

Advocating

Parents know that it is important "to pick your battles." Another way of expressing the same thing is to say "Don't sweat the small stuff." All of this is good advice for family caregivers who have to conserve their energy and decide what's worth making a fuss over and fighting for. But just recognizing what is important enough to expend your energy on is a big step and a positive advocacy approach.

We realize that it is a phenomenon of life in the 21st century that our country has not yet found a good way to deal with, that our country is only now waking up to as an issue that will affect every family in America before we know it. When we know in our hearts that we are not alone, and when we believe that our lives as family caregivers are made that much harder because of antiquated policies and systems, that's often when we wake up to the fact that we not only need to advocate for our loved one and ourselves, but that we must stand up for all caregiving families - and that's when we become not only advocates but also activists.

Becoming a Health Care Advocate for Your Loved One and Yourself

NFCA offers workshops to family caregivers on becoming adept at communicating with healthcare professionals. The goal is to learn how to get the answers you need from each office visit, what to ask when medications are prescribed or tests are recommended, and much more. The more knowledgeable and confident you are as a healthcare consumer the better you will be able to advocate on behalf of your loved one and yourself. In the world of medicine it is very important for all of us to become as educated as possible about how the system works and therefore be in a position to get the best care possible.

Unfortunately there are many more family caregivers in need of such training than there are workshop leaders to give them. That's why NFCA has incorporated some of the information and lessons from the workshops on their Website:

Please go to the NFCA Website so you can learn how to be an advocate for family caregiving!

Originally published by the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA). Reprinted with permission.

National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) educates, supports, and speaks up for the more than 50 million Americans who care for loved ones with a chronic illness, disability or frailty. NFCA reaches across the boundaries of diagnoses, relationships and life stages to address the common needs and concerns of all family caregivers. For more information visit www.thefamilycaregiver.org.