Caregiving for loved ones can be a deeply meaningful and fulfilling experience, but can also result in personal distress, physical exhaustion, and emotional depletion. Family members and friends participating in a loved one’s care face uncertainties about their role as an informal (unpaid) caregiver. From a palliative care perspective, both the patient and their caregivers require care and support. Being a caregiver means being an essential part of your loved one’s plan of care.

Guiding Wishes can take the mystery out of caregiving by helping you:

• Understand and prepare for your role as a caregiver
• Identify specific stressors/burdens around caregiving
• Assess your caregiving responsibilities (are they realistic?)
• Formulate a caregiver plan that works for you
• Recruit additional caregiver support
  • Formal (home health care professionals)
  • Informal (family; friends; community)
• Develop effective caregiver self-care strategies (yes, you need care as well!)