Caregiver Support
Reducing the Stress of Caring for Family Members
Contact Luiza Benisano, Community Engagement Associate
To participate or learn more about the Caregiver Support Initiative, call or email Luiza Benisano.
“There are only four kinds of people in the world- those who have been caregivers, those who are caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers.”
-Rosalynn Carter
New: Free Resource Helps Family Caregivers Desiring Pay
Community Foundation Offers Caregivers' Compensation Guide
The Community Foundation is proud to announce our new Caregivers' Compensation Guide! Many local family caregivers have reached out to the Community Foundation and asked how they can get paid as a family caregiver.
Our Caregivers' Compensation Guide, which was made available this month (July 2021), shows how you can get paid while taking care of an aging family member in Nevada.
Download a free copy of the Caregivers' Compensation Guide by using the button below. Or, you can pick up a copy at the Community Foundation during weekday business hours, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., 50 Washington Street, Suite 300. For any questions, please call 775-333-5499.
Caregiving in Washoe County
The Community Foundation’s Caregiver Support Initiative is aimed at addressing the needs of unpaid family caregivers to seniors in Washoe County. As our community continues to age, it is crucial that we address the needs of the caregivers who play the important role of keeping our seniors healthy and happy. Caregivers are often overlooked, but through this initiative, we have listened to, learned from, and worked with caregivers to help create tools to alleviate some of the stress that caregiving brings. Over the last year, the Caregiver Support Initiative created an online resource database and a caregiver guidebook. Both these aids are now available for free in our community!
WashoeCaregivers.org
WashoeCaregivers.org is the most extensive resource database our community has for caregivers and seniors. It lists over 300 useful community and national resources that are easily searchable and broken up into categories.
In addition to connecting caregivers with local resources, WashoeCaregivers.org also provides information about common questions that caregivers have, downloadable documents that caregivers may need, and a community blog for caregivers to share their personal experiences. The site is designed to be easy to navigate for all ages and has been tested by local caregivers. This resource database will be kept up-to-date and the information for each resource will be verified every six months.
Washoe Caregivers Guidebook
The free Washoe Caregivers guidebook is designed to benefit first-time caregivers as they begin their caregiving journey. This guidebook has been written by experts and caregivers in the Reno area and covers topics involved in caregiving. Information about self-care for the caregiver, planning (financial and legal), home safety, techniques for communicating with health care professionals, and more are written in a personal, easy-to-follow style.
Washoe Caregivers: Your Guide to the Basics of Beginning Care, is FREE and will be available at hospitals, nonprofits, community centers, and online. To access the guidebook, visit WashoeCaregivers.org/Guidebook for a downloadable version or visit the Community Foundation to pick up a printed version.
Thanks to a generous gift from Nature’s Bakery, a Spanish language version of Washoe Caregivers guidebook is available.
Both the resource database and the guidebook are now available! We hope caregivers in our community will benefit greatly from these tools.
Everything we do is a service of love that needs to be supported.
Family Caregiver Email Discussion Group
Connect with other family caregivers. Share advice and ask each other questions about caregiving.
To register as a member: click here.
Let’s say you are trying to get better at self-care, but don’t know how to begin. Send an email and ask, “How can I take time for myself without feeling guilty?”
Members of the group can respond to your question. When another member responds to your question, you will simply receive a response through your email. You can also share experiences and answer questions of other members in the group.
The Community Foundation moderates each message to ensure the highest quality of experience for each member. Once your question has been approved, it will be visible to the group.
If you have any questions, please contact Luiza Benisano at lbenisano@nevadafund.org or call the Community Foundation at 775-333-5499.
Click here for detailed instructions on the discussion group.
Caregiving Blog
Posts on washoecaregivers.org written for the website by members of the Caregiver Support Initiative Steering Committee, local caregivers, and professionals in caregiving, senior health, or social services.
Why Support Groups are Essential for Caregivers by Kelli Hirt
Falls and Fall Prevention Among Older Adults by Lawrence J.Weiss, PhD
Caring for my Father in the time of a Pandemic by Bonnie Read
Family Caregives During a Pandemic by Niki Rubarth
Supporting Veterans Through Technology by Tod Sherman
Perceptions in Caregiving by Vic Railton
Losing My Husband from Dementia and COVID-19 by Nettie Oliverio
Tips for Hiring a Caregiver by William Palmer
Caregiving During the Holidays, by Luiza Benisano
Elder Abuse During the Time of COVID-19 by Luiza Benisano, Jean Myles, Lora Myles and William Palmer
Community Foundation 2019 Impact Report on the Caregiver Support Initiative
Mental Health for Seniors During COVID-19 by Luiza Benisano
Caregiving During COVID-19 by Luiza Benisano
Respite Care and its Barriers by Marta Malone
Respite Care and Why it is Important by Marta Malone
Recognizing When You Need a Break by Mary Block
