Living Our Legacies Family Caregivers’ Planning, Prevention and En gagement Framework
It was going to be another one of those mornings. It was clear her mother needed more care than her twice-a-week visits. Charlene got her mom all cleaned up and walked her to the old recliner to rest. While cleaning and preparing breakfast, she was suddenly overwhelmed with feelings of distress. Her mom’s episodes were becoming more frequent. Something had to be done, but she just wasn’t sure where to begin. Charlene whispered a prayer for strength. This was a lot to bear alone. Charlene, age 60, was the youngest of three siblings, yet she was the one everyone depended on to make it all work. She knew she had to figure something out, and Pastor Jenkins came to mind. He was always a source of inspiration. She thought maybe he could be a resource to get the help she needed. She gave him a call. She shared what was happening with Mom and her fears about her inability to give her mom the attention needed. He reassured her that she was doing a great job. Pastor Jenkins told Charlene he didn’t have the answers for how she could get the help needed to care for her mom, but he prayed that God would continue to give her the strength she needed. Pastor Jenkins ’ words were a mome ntary comfort, but Charlene still had unanswered questions. She needed transportation assistance but didn’t know who she could call. Her mom needed medical attention to address her bouts of disorientation and all of the symptoms that followed, but she wasn ’t certain what visits her mom’s medical insurance would cover, nor did she know how to even inquire. Charlene knew she needed someone to guide her through this caregiving process, but it had to be someone she could trust. She felt vulnerable, hopeless, and frustrated for simply not knowing what to do or who she could call on for help.
Charlene’s story represents the often- unnoticed family caregivers’ commitment to caring for the aging population in the Detroit African American community. African American older adults are in poorer health compared to the total population. The declining health conditions of loved ones will result in more families being faced with decisions to provide care for older family members. The role of the family caregiver for an older adult can become greatly burdensome and debilitating to one’s well -being, especially if intentional self-care and support from other sources are not accessible and utilized. The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr Foundation , a philanthropic organization, recognizes the communal nature of African American culture and understands the
Nationwide it is estimated that over 40 million family caregivers are caring for aging parents, neighbors, and friends.
key to accomplishing anything is through relationship building. Relationships build trust and trust builds community. Historically, the African American church has been responsive to the needs of its community members. To initially elevate the role of and support for family caregivers, the advice and counsel from Rev. Dr. James C. Perkins, Pastor , Greater Christ Baptist Church; Rev. Dr. John E. Duckworth, Pastor , Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church; Rev. Dr. Steve Bland Jr., Senior Pastor, Liberty Temple Baptist Church; and Rev. Cindy Rudolph, Pastor, Oak Grove AME provided guidance to Dr. Marilyn French Hubbard, a retired healthcare executive, as she assumed leadership in developing a Detroit faith community program to support caregivers of older adults. This initiative see ks to integrate a family caregiver’s model titled Detroit Family Caregivers’ Project— Living Our Legacies within the Detroit African American Churches. The fostering of faith-community involvement extends the opportunity for the Detroit Family Caregivers’ P roject — Living Our Legacies to connect the existing church community caregiving focuses and to partner with various other caregiver services in the community.
We are able to represent different theological perspectives. And I think that’s a beautiful thing because it gives people many options. I think we share something in common and that is that we are here to meet the spiritual, social , and educational needs of our people.
—Reverend Cindy Rudolph of Detroit’s Oak Grove AME Church
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