Advocating, or speaking up for someone else’s needs in order to gain support, is a way of life for most caregivers. But oftentimes caregivers are so wrapped up in advocating for others that advocating for themselves gets lost – or worse, forgotten.
This is especially true for young caregivers. Did you know that in the US there are over 11 million caregivers under the age of 34? And while caregivers of all ages have heard time and again the importance of self-care and asking for help, young caregivers often struggle with these aspects the most.
According to caregiver advocate Feylyn Lewis, the barriers to preventing caregivers from advocating for their own needs include lack of understanding and support and fear of mistreatment or stigma. “Society tends to overlook and disregard the experiences of young people with caregiving responsibilities, and health professionals may not view you as a “caregiver” because of your youth,” writes Feylyn. In addition, caregivers who work part or full time often fear losing their jobs as a result of their caregiving roles being brought to light, so they often keep their caregiving responsibilities under wraps.
Fortunately, there are a few ways that caregivers can begin to self-advocate.
Communicate Openly
Open communication is essential in order for your own needs to be addressed. Talk to other family members about your long-term caregiving plans and the practicalities of your role especially if you foresee needing to make a change in the future. In addition, talk to your loved one’s medical team and inform them that you are a critical part of your family member’s care and want to be included in health discussions.
Talking to managers, co-workers, and friends about how caregiving impacts your life is also a good idea in order for others to be aware of your caregiving role. Things like “asking for flexible schedules and work hours, and requesting to keep your cell phone turned on and kept with you, in case your family member needs to reach you in an emergency, etc.” are within your legal right of self-advocacy in the workplace.
Connect With Other Caregivers
Sometimes caregivers are so focused on finding support groups for their loved ones that they overlook the need for themselves to connect with others in similar roles. In-person and online support groups are a great way to reach out to other caregivers and express and share your common needs.
Take Some Time For You
It may be just a few minutes since that may be all you have, but even stepping away for a brief time and focusing on yourself is an important form of self-advocacy. “Me time” includes things like pursuing a hobby, exercising, getting together with friends, and scheduling (and attending) your own medical check ups.
So the next time you are advocating for your family member, keep in mind that self-advocating is just as important. Be sure to share this post to help raise awareness of the importance of self-advocacy.