The Elderhood Project is sending out congratulations to the winners of the caregiver awards.
In the grandparents taking care of grandchildren category, from Maui County, recognition to H'i Na Kupuna Coalition in the education category. In the support category, we recognize Ohana Caregivers, a project of the UH Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Family caregivers are the unsung heroes in our community. Aiding those heroes, the Caregiver Foundation, winner of the education category. The foundation has extensive programs.
"So the Caregiver Foundation takes programs to the communities. We work a lot with individuals in small groups, we even work with families helping them develop a caregiving plan," said Gary Powell of the Caregiver Foundation. "And anyone that needs help in caregiving, needs to realize that there is help."
What does it take to be a caregiver?
"When we help people develop their skills as caregivers, we look for people who can adjust to the changes with patience, with gratitude and love and with a skill that enables them to move forward," explained Powell.
Caregiver awardee in the support category is Child and Family services Ohana Care which encourages caregivers to look after themselves in addition to the loved one they are looking after.
"Which actually gives tools to caregivers to become better caregivers, not in the physical sense of providing care to the other person but actually in taking care of themselves," said Valorie Taylor, of Child and Family Services.
Ohana Care offers a number of classes.
"We help them to look at what kinds of things cause them stress, to identify that early so that they can start to implement stress reduction techniques, which we also teach," said Taylor.
Both Powell and Taylor emphasize the importance of getting support when it comes to caregiving.
"You may be regretting the fact that you have to have Dad go to adult day care, that you don't have the money to stay home and take care of him full time, said Powell. "But that doesn't mean that you've caused harm."
