Caregivers recognized for their vital role

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/04/2017 (3151 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

 I receive information from various sources about resources and activities and some of it I have shared in this column.  

Most recently I received word of the Manitoba Caregiver Recognition Act, which recognizes caregivers in the province.

Having assisted in caregiving for a family member for years, I was quite surprised that the government found it necessary to introduce legislation that recognizes what comes naturally to most of us. Upon further investigation, I realized the purpose of the act is to not only recognize caregivers but also to offer resources and provide information and support to those who are giving care.

The Manitoba government developed the Manitoba Caregiver Recognition Act in 2011 to recognize the vital role of caregivers. A caregiver is a person who provides informal and unpaid personal care, support or assistance to another person because that other person lives with challenges due to a disability, an illness, an injury or aging.

The act sets out principles and actions for government and non-government agencies to follow to support the health and well-being of caregivers.

The first Tuesday in April was Caregiver Recognition Day in Manitoba. The purpose of the day was to increase awareness of the valuable contributions that all caregivers make, and to reach out to caregivers in your family, workplace or community.

The communique suggested ways to participate in Caregiver Recognition Day, or to give relief to caregivers at any time.

This might mean offering to take over for a couple hours so a primary caregiver can do something for herself or himself. Or maybe you might want to drop off dinner once a week. Having multiple people help out can reduce the load on the primary caregiver and decrease stress.

Other ways of joining the circle of support is seek out programs and services available to the caregivers and their loved ones, and passing this information on to them.

To obtain information about resources that are available, go to www.gov.mb.ca/shas/caregiver_inventory2015

As part of Manitoba Caregiver Recognition Day celebration, a careAware Manitoba campaign has been introduced to increase awareness of the issues caregiver face and to better support caregivers across the province. 

To find out more about the careAware campaign, check out www.careaware.ca

Donna Minkus is a community correspondent for Charleswood.