"J ust let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
How many times have family caregivers heard this offer
from a friend, colleague, or family member! The offer
may be sincere, but so vague that it’s hard to know how
to take advantage of it. Or, as a friend or family member,
you may have said it yourself, and felt guilty about not
following up.
Many family caregivers of people with dementia are
understandably reluctant to ask for help with handson
care because their family member’s behavior and
communication are often unpredictable. But there is
something that volunteers can do to help, particularly if
they have basic computer skills.
The United Hospital Fund’s Next Step in Care
Web site (www.nextstepincare.org) has many guides
and checklists that provide valuable information and
background to family caregivers. (Previous issues of this
newsletter have introduced the Web site and its guide to
the Emergency Room.) But finding a specific guide
or learning the breadth of what is available may seem
daunting to a busy caregiver. And, like every Web site, Next
Step in Care has specific navigational tools. There is a new
guide, “How to Get the Most from the Next Step in Care
Website” (http://www.nextstepincare.org/uploads/ File/How_to_Use_NSIC_website.pdf) that takes the
user through the various features.
If you are a family caregiver and a little wary of computerese,
ask a volunteer to help you find the information you
need. This is a job that a young person can easily handle.
Or if you are someone who wants to help a family
caregiver, offer a hands-on “tutorial” on Next Step in Care
and periodic updates. It’s a good way to stay involved.
— Carol Levine
Director, Families and Health Care Project,
United Hospital Fund
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