Posts tagged Support Team
AUGUST 2024 Newsletter: We Can ALL Be Advocates

"All advocacy is, at its core, an exercise in empathy.” ~ Samantha Power⁣​​​​​​​​​

There are so many ways we can show up as advocates. ADVOCACY is defined by the Missouri Foundation for Health as “any action that speaks in favor of, recommends, argues for a cause, supports or defends, or pleads on behalf of others.” As caregivers, we balance many of these roles as we stand up for ourselves, our loved ones, and fellow caregivers.

The West Virginia University Health Science Center denotes three types of advocacy: self-advocacyindividual advocacy, and systems advocacy.

There are numerous ways we can be advocates, but, as Erin Galyean emphasizes in her book "Badass Advocate," we can't do them alone. That's why this month we have stressed the importance of CREATING our support networks, MANAGING our stress, and COMMUNICATING effectively. By finding hope and support in one another, we can heal and recover together.

"A Badass Advocate doesn't try to do it all by herself, rather she leads to a strong team who works to fight for the patient." Erin Galyean, author of "Badass Advocate"

Check out our entire August newsletter focused on Advocacy here.

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Support Is a Two-Way Street

We actually have two themes this month. First, it’s National Family Caregivers Month, which celebrates, supports, and raises awareness about family caregivers across the country. So this month, we’ll be hosting our third annual Caring for Caregivers Virtual Summit, Getting UNStuck: Moving From Languishing to Flourishing, on November 16 and 17. Both days will feature sessions by professional facilitators on topics ranging from connectedness and empowerment to resiliency and gratitude.

Also this month, our regular Support Group curriculum will be covering topics related to the theme of collaboration, and this week, the topic is your support network.

When we allow others to help us, we give them the opportunity to show their kindness and compassion. When we do the same for others as part of a support network, we return the favor. In other words, having a strong support network is a win-win for YOU and for EVERYONE!

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