Group Caregiving & Keeping Connected
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Does this feel like you?
As a caregiver, do you often feel like you are pulled in many different directions all at the same time? Do you feel like your world is being manipulated by outside forces and is out of your control? Perhaps it's time to allow other people to help.
It's hard to ask others for help. You understand that they have instances where they, too, feel pulled in many directions. But, remember, anyone you ask for help has a choice. They get to decide if they can help and how much they can help.
It's also hard to keep all the well-wishers, friends and family updated and current.
These days, technology provides us with unique ways to stay connected with friends and family during a crisis and to ask for and organize help.
Staying Connected and Keeping Friends and Family Informed
This non-profit organization provides a personalized free and private website where you can keep loved ones informed during difficult times. In return, family and friends give patient and caregiver support through guestbook messages. Each website includes
Access to a CaringBridge website is determined by the family. It requires that visitors know the exact name of the site and the family has the ability to add password protection, create a “by invitation only list” to allow access to pre-approved visitors, or block access to specific unwanted visitors. CaringBridge authors have complete control of the privacy settings and can modify them as frequently as desired. |
The American Pain Foundation sponsors an online service called CareCentral designed to help caregivers caring for a loved one who is experiencing chronic pain. "CareCentral provides friends and families with a central hub to keep in touch, stay informed, and share support. Creating a CareCentral site takes just a few minutes, but building a network of support can be one of the most important things you can do at a critical time in your life." This online community provides:
Only family and friends that you invite will have access to the site and the information within the site. The site is available at no charge. |
Group Caregiving
There is a concept called group caregiving.
One model is called Share the Care. Step-by-step instructions for how to initiate the Share the Care model are available in book form. Friends can organize to help another friend. Friends and family can organize to help a burnt out caregiver. The concept is caring and loving. The results have the potential to be life affirming. |
Volunteer activities are defined by using supplied templates to create an online interface. Individuals are then invited to become members of the community. "Through an intuitive interface that requires no training, volunteers can then easily view and sign up for any number of available tasks, review their current commitments, and be confident they won’t forget any assignments as the system automatically sends out email reminders of upcoming obligations." "Community members also have access to the community’s private message boards, photo galleries, resource sections for sharing relevant web links and documents, and even a Well Wishes wall. Any number of custom community sections can be created by the Coordinators to enrich the flow and sharing of information within the community, keeping all members, near and far ‘in the loop’." Bottom line the service is a simple, immediate way for friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors to assist loved ones in need. It’s an easy-to-use, private group calendar, specifically designed for organizing helpers, where everyone can pitch in with meals delivery, rides, and other tasks necessary for life to run smoothly during times of medical crisis, end-of-life caring, or family caregiver exhaustion. It’s also a place to keep these ‘circles of community’ informed with status updates, photo galleries, message boards, and more. |
| Hospice organizations also may provide volunteer teams to assist the family. Typically, this would be a very organized effort including training and scheduling. |
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In
North Carolina, an organization called Project Compassion
organizes volunteer teams to help individuals who are facing
death or a serious illness. 
Some families have found that online calendars such as those offered by Google are so easy to set up and maintain that they can easily manage volunteer tasks and assignments.
Google calendars are free, and the author controls the privacy of the information shared. |
