Expand Your Impact for April

If you cannot see images, please [click here]( [Shop CTA Products]( [Shop CTA Products]( [Women'sMinistry]( [Men'sMinistry]( [Children'sMinistry]( [GeneralMinistry]( [CTAAdvantage]( April 2021 [Caring for Caregivers]( By Kristin Schultz God’s gift of family is not only a personal blessing but the glue that holds communities and society together. The bond we have with our parents, children, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents is unique among all other relationships. Family bonds are not the same as. . . [Read More]( [Read More . . .]( tips & trends We don’t often plan to have to be caregivers for family members. At worst, people don’t talk about what will happen if Mom can’t live on her own or if cousin Nell suffers a debilitating stroke. We don’t like talking about negative things. We’d rather plan a vacation or a family reunion. But we live in a sinful world that is full of sickness, decay, and death. When people in your ministry find themselves caring for a loved one, you have a tremendous opportunity to come alongside them, to support them, to encourage them, and to give them resources so they can care for their loved ones and themselves. - Start or engage with a support group. As more Americans are becoming caretakers, there are online and in-person support groups so caregivers can share openly about their struggles and their joys. Contact your local council on aging to see if such a support group exists in your area. If it does, consider advertising the meeting times. If there is no such support group, see if someone in your ministry is interested in starting one. - Start a meal train, but make it healthy. Sometimes people have very little time to prepare to take in and care for a loved one. Sudden illnesses like stroke or heart attack send people scrambling to make arrangements. If you are considering starting a meal train for the family, make an extra effort to emphasize healthy foods. Most people love an ooey-gooey lasagna or casserole, but caretakers actually need to be vigilant about eating as healthy as possible so their bodies can work efficiently and stay healthy through a strenuous time. - Ask about accommodations. When bringing home a relative who has had a stroke or other episode that has left them dependent on a wheelchair or other assistance, there may be a mad dash to properly outfit the home for new mobility challenges. Engage anyone with construction skills to build a wheelchair ramp or install bars in the shower. - Pick up the phone. If you have a calling ministry, add the caregiver as well as the care recipient to the list. Of course, you’ll follow up with the person who is recovering or struggling with illness, but make sure your care team takes note of the caregiver and carve out a time to engage with them. - Connect caregivers with resources. There are ways you can help and ways in which others are better equipped to help. Make sure caregivers know where to turn for professional help—from mental health resources to how to hire respite care. You don’t need to take on everything a caregiver may be facing, but you can make sure he or she knows where to go for help. Caregivers may not think to reach out to you when they need help. They don’t want to trouble you or appear as unwilling to help a loved one. Be proactive and check in with those who are caring for others. Let them know that God loves them and that you are there to support them. You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use when you include this credit line and receive no monetary benefit from it: © 2021 CTA, Inc. Used with permission. bonus And now for a little something extra. . . From articles to devotions to activity ideas and how-to lists, CTA Blog has useful resources to help you and your ministry. [Read More. . .]( [A Hope-Filled Devotion]( [Read More]( [Listen Now]( [Encouraging Family Caregivers]( Focus on Leadership Podcast [Listen Now]( [Read More. . .]( [Eyes on Jesus]( [Read More]( [Women'sMinistry]( [Men'sMinistry]( [Children'sMinistry]( [GeneralMinistry]( [CTAAdvantage]( CTA, Inc. 1653 LARKIN WILLIAMS ROAD, FENTON, MO 63026, United States customerservice@ctainc.com []( This email was sent to {EMAIL} because you've subscribed on our site or made a purchase. [Unsubscribe]( | [Edit preferences](