We COPD patients often do not give our caretakers enough credit for the job they do tending to our needs. Whether it be because we are unable to physically do the things we need to do, because we need the organization to keep our medications straight, the nagging to exercise, or the love and comfort to make it all well like we were children again. In short order this page is going to develop to discuss caregiver issues. While you will not need a password to get here, honor their domain and remember that our illness is almost, and in some cases worse, than it is for us. Maybe the words written here will be good for all of us.

Statistics show that as each year passes the number of caregivers continue to grow. That is not a wonderful statistic but it means one important thing.  It means that as a caregiver you are not alone. Each individual situation is different in many ways for each caregiver. But caregivers have many things in common. First and foremost being that we are taking care of someone that we love; and second is that we all have the same feeling of being overwhelmed with responsibilities.  Each day in everyone�s life is met with challenges of every kind. And we get through each day as best we can, doing as much as we can too soothe and comfort the one we love along with the regular part of life that must continue.

I have been the caregiver for my husband for a long time now. I have learned that there are a few things that we can do to make things a bit easier. Making things a bit easier will relieve some of the daily stress that one faces in the challenge of taking care of someone with an illness.

In my caregiving experience, I had no one to talk to and when I did try to talk to someone, all I received was the normal platitudes and positive thinking quotes that are supposed to soothe.  But they did not soothe at all.  I realized that the only person who really understood the daily life of a caregiver was another caregiver.

The Family of COPD Programs has given Caregivers the opportunity to have a place to share with other Caregivers. We now have an Email Support Group, COPD-Caregivers, where you can ask advice of others, share your experience with others and support in general for the daily stress and problems associated with Caregiving. The Caregiver Support List is a place where we can share our feelings as well as to share anything that they need to share in order to help each other in every way possible. We cannot make feelings go away but by sharing you will find a bit of peace in knowing that others feel the same way.