Keep the caregiver well

What is it that has some of us Americans working hard to keep healthy while others ignore the signs of impending illness? Is it an event like a 20-year high school reunion that has us dieting and exercising? Or is it a unfavorable doctor's report that motivates us to get off the couch and take better care of our bodies? Is the notion of taking care of ourselves any more clear when we are constantly taking care of others?

What about the estimated 44 million unpaid caregivers? Do they know how important it is to keep themselves healthy while providing care to a chronically ill relative or friend?

Unfortunately, caregivers are notoriously bad at taking care of themselves physically and emotionally even though it is vital to the health of those that they are providing care for everyday. Caregivers, like the rest of us, need support to continue to work on our health.

The month of September is "Wellness Month" for the caregivers support group at St. Peter's Episcopal Church on N. Division and Telegraph streets in Carson City. All are welcome to meet at the church at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday to take short personal stress and health inventories so that they can begin to assess where they are in the wellness continuum. No one is ever at the perfect level of health and it takes effort and strategy to get to that healthful balance or comfort zone.

Participants at the meeting will do health assessments and go on to make their own personal health plans. Caregivers will "buddy-up" with another sympathetic caregiver for support.

For further details, call Dr. Deb Cash at 887-8846. If you miss this meeting, the caregivers support group meets every first and third Thursday of every month at 5:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall at St. Peter's Episcopal Church. Come see what these meetings are about and remember, we have this just one body. It might just be time for you to come in and start your wellness tune-up, particularly if you wish to keep well through the upcoming holidays.