Q. Who were you caring for?
A. My father

Q. How long did you care for him?
A. 3 years, but in reality, 8 years. I didn't consider myself as a caregiver for the first 5.

Q. What type of condition or illness did he have?
A. Alzheimer’s disease

Q. What did your caregiving experience teach you about yourself?
A. I learned that I am human. I am not Superwoman.

Q. If you had one piece of advice for those in the throes of caregiving, what would it be?
A. If it looks like caregiving may be in your future, begin preparing by exploring available supports and services. Doing your research now will ease the journey later. Seeking help can be tough amidst the chaos of care.

Diane and her father Bill spent many afternoons playing at his favorite golf course, a home away from home for him. He was still hitting the ball down the middle at age 88!

When Caregiving Hits Home

Rajeev was a strong advocate for caregivers, but it was only through his own experience as a care recipient that he truly understood the emotional and financial tolls involved. This journey cultivated his empathy and underscored the vital support needed along the caregiving path. Read about Rajeev’s personal experience in this article from Newsweek.com.

Do you have a caregiving story you’d like to share? Your personal story can be a powerful tool when advocating for family caregivers.

Join this online training from Community Catalyst on Thursday, March 26 to discover how caregivers can share their stories to raise awareness of their difficulties and request vital changes for more support. Participants will learn to use personal storytelling to foster understanding, influence systems, and communicate caregiver experiences that inspire connection and action.

Meditation Comes in Many Forms

Have you ever heard of Zentangle? It’s a calming drawing technique that nurtures concentration, creativity, and tranquility by crafting intricate, abstract patterns on paper. The soothing art form triggers the body's relaxation mechanism, reducing cortisol and soothing a racing mind. This and many other offerings can be found online on NYS Office for the Aging GetSetUp.

Register for a class today!

March is National Kidney Month

Managing Care for Someone with Kidney Disease and Managing Your Own Wellbeing

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) causes more deaths every year than breast or prostate cancer. It is a long-term condition which leads to loss of kidney function and may create a need for dialysis. Often called the under-recognized public health crisis, nearly 1 in 7 people in the US have CKD, according to the National Kidney Foundation’s website, kidney.org.

Given the fluctuation of kidney disease and the demanding nature of its treatments, caregivers need to prioritize vigilance, planning, and self-care. Caring for someone with kidney disease means staying organized—tracking meds and lab results to ease stress and enhance their care journey. The American Kidney Fund offers these tips to caregivers:

• Create a health summary

• Keep medical records organized

• Use a calendar or set reminders

• Know how to request records

• Prioritize daily tasks

• Keep contact lists updated

• Keep a routine

• Back up important information

Visit the Caregiver Action Network for information and resources on caring for a loved one with CKD.

When Kids Become Caregivers

When reflecting on the role of family caregivers, it’s easy to overlook the fact that in many situations, these devoted individuals can actually be children. Nationwide, approximately 5.4 million children under the age of 18 regularly provide care alongside another adult, according to AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving 2020.

Meet two of these amazing young caregivers featured on NBC’s Today Show.

Medicaid Monday: Aging Well in NY: Resources Helping You Stay Home - Without Medicaid - This webinar reveals aging services' "hidden gems" enabling independence without dependence on Medicaid or government aid. It is offered by Pierro, Connor & Strauss, LLC with guest Becky Preve, Executive Director of the Association on Aging in New York. March 9 at 12 PM ET. Learn more and register here.

Future Care Planning for People with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD) (Part 3 of NYSCRC’s 4-part webinar series): March 11 from 1:00-2:00 PM ET.
Gain a better awareness of planning tools and how to implement them into a robust future care plan for your loved one aging with IDD and discover Supplemental Needs Trusts and their benefits. Learn more and register here. View the first two webinars of this four-part series on our YouTube Channel.

2026 Medicaid Limits and How to Qualify - Join a free webinar from The Arc NY and NYSARC for important information about 2026 Medicaid updates, new limits, and how to use a pooled trust to protect surplus monthly income to pay for items and services that Medicaid does not provide. March 12 at 10:00 AM ET. Learn more and register here.

Care Connection Webinar: An Ounce of Prevention - As a caregiver, prioritizing your own health is vital. Join the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America for a webinar focused on caregiver preventive health strategies and priorities, along with updates on Alzheimer’s prevention and testing. March 12 from 1:00-2:00 PM ET. Learn more and register here.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Family Caregiver HelpLine
If you're supporting a loved one living with a mental health condition, your role matters. Your wellbeing matters, too. This resource offers trusted information, guidance and support. Call 800-950-6264 (Monday-Friday, 10 AM–10 PM. ET), text "FAMILY" to 62640 and learn more at nami.org/family. If you need immediate crisis support, call or text 988 anytime.

MyWayfinder - TogetherNow introduces a website that simplifies navigating human services, health, education, and government services by consolidating them in one location and providing tools to help you stay organized. The site can be used by both individuals and service providers. Learn more here.

Caring for a loved one often leaves you with little time for yourself. However, dedicating just 10 minutes each morning for brief meditation can empower you to begin your day with tranquility and optimism.

Just 10 minutes of mindfulness can uplift wellbeing by 6.9% and cut anxiety by 12.6%, while daily meditation may lower depression by up to 19.2%. - According to a study by British Journal of Health Psychology.

NY Connects links individuals to long-term services and supports regardless of payment source/health insurance, whether it be private pay, public or a combination of both. Through the provision of free, comprehensive, objective information and assistance about long-term services and supports, NY Connects empowers individuals and families to identify available services and supports and choose what will best meet their needs at home, in the community, and as necessary, in residential or institutional settings.

To learn more, call: 1-800-342-9871 or visit www.nyconnects.ny.gov 

This project is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,375,000 with 75 percentage funded by ACL/HHS and $458,330 and 25 percentage funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.