Did you know that 1 in 6 Americans are caregivers? Virtually every one of us will care for a loved one at some point in our life. Though rewarding, it’s not easy to juggle the challenges of one’s everyday life while caring for a disabled child or an aging or ill parent, spouse, or grandparent (whether nearby or at a distance).
The mission of the Nourish for Caregivers program is to support and empower caregivers through the gift of faith. It is a Christ-centered program for ministering to the practical, emotional, and spiritual needs of caregivers by providing resource tools as well as a space to share personal experiences.
Groups explore the common challenges every caregiver faces in a welcoming and encouraging environment. Monthly sessions include prayer, practical information, topic exploration, group activities, and open sharing. There is no cost to participate.
Thanks to financial support from the Archdiocese of Portland, Holy Trinity's Health Ministry coordinates and hosts monthly Nourish for Caregivers meetings. All caregivers from across the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon and beyond are welcome to join us! Meetings are currently held every third Thursday from 1:00-2:00pm via Zoom. To be added to our mailing list and receive the Zoom link for meetings, please complete the form on this page.
From the July '20 Newsletter for the Health Ministries Network:
The Palliative Care Institute at Western Washington University has initiated a weekly on-line support group via a Zoom video conference call for staff at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, providing in-home care, and/or hospice care. The goal of creating this virtual space is for them to come together to talk about the impact of the pandemic on their work and their clients and residents — a kind of ‘COVID coffee break room,’ a place to sit down to talk for a few minutes with others who are also struggling to reconfigure all aspects of care. By gathering their thoughts, PCI hopes be a vehicle for sharing these stories more widely with those outside their worlds. Anyone who would like to join this support group can email [email protected] to request the Zoom link.
Choosing the right assisted living community for your loved one(s) can be a difficult challenge. Below are a few articles selected by our Health Ministry team that provide tips, advice, and information on making such important decisions.
Five Steps for Choosing the Right Assisted Living Community (Penelope Wang, Consumer Reports, October 2018)
When to Move from Independent Living to Assisted Living (Elaine Howley, U.S. News, August 2019)
11 Ways to Afford the Assisted Living Care You Need (Tobie Stanger, Consumer Reports, August 2017)
Assisted Living Facilities: Weighing the Options (AARP, updated October 2019)
Washington County Crisis Line — 503.291.9111
Multnomah County Crisis Line — 503.988.4388 or 1.800.716.9769
Aging & Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) — 1.855.673.2372
Senior Loneliness Line — 503.200.1633
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) — 1.800.950.6264
Hospice and Grief Support Group at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center — 503.215.4622
Additional resources from "4 Tips for Only-Child Caregivers" (Paul Wynn, April/May 2020):
AARP: 877-333-5885
Aging Life Care Association: 520-881-8008
ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center: 703-256-2084
Eldercare Locator: 800-677-1116
Family Caregiver Alliance: 800-445-8106
Parenting Our Parents: 310-275-7554
Senior Corps: 800-942-2677
US Administration on Aging: 800-677-1116
US Department of Labor: 866-487-9243