Key Takeaways
- The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) is the only dedicated federal program that provides states with grants to support America’s family caregivers.
Dear NFCSP [National Family Caregiver Support Program]:
We would like to send our sincere thanks to this program and especially the kind worder at ADRC [Aging and Disability Resource Center]! Last year when we received the news that David, my adult son, would never recover from the damage done to his lungs and heart from being ill, we were devastated. He had used up the last of his savings and had always worked hard his whole life towards his goals and dreams. Now he could no longer work due to exhaustion, brain fog, and other symptoms due to COPD. He had tried to do an online course to learn to work from home but kept struggling with illness, exhaustion, constant nose bleeds, and headaches.
Out of desperation to assist him in keeping his home, car, and independent lifestyle he was accustomed to, he and I stopped at the ADRC. Kelly met us there and was so kind and understanding. David and I were really embarrassed and struggled to let anyone know we needed help. I hadn’t realized, as his mother, how sick he was, as he had hidden his struggles from me so as not to be a burden. Kelly’s kindness was a turning point for both David and myself. She informed us of several programs that might help us, even going over them several times with us until we understood.
In addition to starting to take care of David, I was also the main person taking care of my elderly mother with dementia as her go to person from support (in addition to being her financial POA). My siblings all relied on me to problem solve and intervene whenever issues arose, making my life unpredictable and often highly stressed at a moment’s notice.
This program took a big portion of this stress off my life in several key areas. With the financial assistance from NFCSP, I was able to hire someone to do the yard work for David. This was something I really hated doing and was such a relief to me for the whole of last year! It also provide instant hot meals which I would purchase for David during the really busy times such as moving my mother into memory care, working to get her onto an appropriate family care program, assisting David with medical appointments, and providing transportation and support so that David could still attempt to work with his friends for the seasonal job he had done for many years.
This financial assistance was always on my mind when I became overwhelmed as I knew I could rely on this to get me through the rather frantic activity that would happen when there were too many demands on my time and energy. We are a pretty independent family and this program, and especially the kind workers involved, did not make us feel ashamed or embarrassed from needing assistance.
We would highly recommend this program to those who are struggling and need a boost to get over the rough patches in life. We received the assistant just when we needed it, and we are now back on our feet with routines and support as David faces his “new normal” as we call it. It was just enough to get us there, and we know if we ever find ourselves in such a predicament again, we will reach out to the kind people of ADRC to see what possible community resources might help during the rough times.
With Sincerely Thanks,
Sally
Greenbay, Wisconsin
This letter is reprinted with permission from the Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources, Inc. (GWAAR).
