AMERICUS — The job of a caregiver is hard work, and as the need for caregivers continues to escalate, so too will the demands placed on them. With support and programs to train and educate, the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) can help.
“Caring for You, Caring for Me” (CFY, CFM), a 10-hour caregiver education and support program for caregivers offered by the RCI, will soon be released in its third edition. Previously published in 1998 and 2007, the latest edition includes updated statistics and a greater emphasis on accessibility.
To usher in this new edition, RCI staff will be hosting CFY, CFM programming at their headquarters located in GSW’s Rosalynn Carter Health and Human Sciences Complex beginning May 3. Sessions will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. every Tuesday evening for five weeks from May 3-31. The cost of this program is $10, which includes all five sessions, materials and snacks that will be provided each week.
“Caring for You, Caring for Me” is conducted in five two-hour modules and provides caregivers with an opportunity to gain information on various topics related to caregiving, to learn methods of coping with the stresses and strains of being a caregiver, to learn about available resources, to discover ways of working together to reduce some of the frustrations felt by caregivers and to share and develop common concerns they all face.
The value of this program is illustrated in the comments of previous participants.
“I am extremely thankful for having had the opportunity to attend this workshop,” said a past CFY, CFM student. “It makes me realize that I am not struggling with caregiving by myself; that there are ways and resources available to meet the challenge; that I need a certain amount of caregiving myself; and that it is important to the effectiveness of my responsibility.”
The program is open to all family, professional and volunteer caregivers who are providing assistance or support to persons with long-term illnesses or disabilities. Scholarships are available for individuals who require them.
Those who are interested in the program or who have further questions should contact the RCI’s Special Projects Coordinator, Kassandra Tuten at 229-931-4281 or by emailing Kassandra.Tuten@gsw.edu