First Steps for New Caregivers

Anyone, anywhere, can be a long-distance caregiver. If you are living an hour or more away from a person who needs your help, you’re probably a long-distance caregiver. It can be overwhelming to get started. Here are some first steps you can take:

  • Ask the primary caregiver, if there is one, and the care recipient how you can be most helpful
  • Talk to friends who are caregivers to see if they have suggestions about ways to help
  • Find out more about local resources that might be useful
  • Develop a good understanding of the person’s health issues and other needs
  • Visit as often as you can; not only might you notice something that needs to be done and can be taken care of from a distance, but you can also relieve a primary caregiver for a short time

Learn more about long-distance caregiving on our website.

Last Updated on April 28, 2020

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Video Categories

Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
Dementia Caregivers
Dementia Friends/Dementia Friendly
Exercise and Physical Activity
For Professionals (The Brain Trust Project Podcast)
Healthy Aging
Home Safety/Fall Prevention
Living with Dementia
Maintaining Quality of Life
Social Isolation
Support Groups (Without Warning and Toolkit Project)
Videos in Spanish (Vídeos en Español)
Why Participate in Dementia Research
Scroll to Top

Discover more from Illinois Cognitive Resources Network

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading