For National Family Caregiver Month, I have been covering one caregiving topic each week. Today, let’s talk about how family members who live farther away can help their loved ones who are acting as family caregivers. This post is primarily aimed at relatives who are connected to both the client and the caregiver—for example, two siblings where one is providing care for a parent. While this may also be helpful for friends of caregivers, it is not written with that situation in mind. With the holidays approaching, this can also serve as a guide for how to meaningfully support caregiver family members during the Christmas season.
Do as Much Remote and Emotional Help as Possible
Caregiving is physically and mentally exhausting. While you may not be able to assist in person year-round, there are many ways to help remotely. This can include scheduling appointments, researching caregivers or caregiving agencies, or helping manage paperwork. In the last post, I discussed arranging services like laundry pickup for the client. Those same services can be scheduled for the family caregiver as well. Reducing even small parts of their mental load can help prevent burnout over time.
Be Involved
This point builds on the first, but it’s worth emphasizing: stay involved. Even if you are not handling logistics directly, make an effort to stay informed. Understanding the client’s condition, care needs, and routines helps reduce the burden on the primary caregiver, who otherwise may feel responsible for updating everyone. Shared awareness can go a long way toward making caregiving feel less isolating.
Check In on How the Caregiver Is Doing
It is important to stay engaged in the client’s care, but it is just as important to check in on the caregiver as a person. Make space for conversations that are not about caregiving tasks or medical updates. Ask how they are coping and listen without trying to immediately solve problems. According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, emotional support and shared responsibility are key factors in reducing caregiver stress and burnout.
Thank you for reading, and stay tuned next week for our next family caregiver topic.
Written by Brigid Stakelum
