Critter Corner: Resources for Millennial Caregivers 

Dear Angel, 

I am 22 years old and I am a caregiver for my 80 year old grandmother. It is both challenging and rewarding. She is in a wheelchair and needs help cooking, dressing, and shopping for groceries. I am often concerned about her falling when she is transferring to her chair. Sometimes I get stressed and wish I had somewhere to turn and someone to talk to who is going through the same thing. Do you have any suggestions for resources that could help? 

Thanks! 

Millie Neall 

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Dear Millie 

It is very kind of you to assume the role of caregiver for your grandmother. Hopefully some of the resources below can be helpful for you to relieve some of the stress you are experiencing.  Here is a list of some blogs, organizations, Facebook groups, and online resources for millennial caregivers: 

Websites/Blogs 

• WorkingDaughter.com – So often, daughters and granddaughters become caregivers. This site is dedicated to women who care for aging parents and grandparents while balancing careers, family, and more. 

• APlaceForMom.com – This website offers services to help people find assisted living facilities for their aging parents, but their blog is also rich with helpful tips, ideas, and solutions for caregivers 
• Daughterhood.com – This new site is also dedicated to the women who take on the role of caregiver of aging parents and grandparents. They offer content, resources, and practical advice for caregivers. And you can even locate local Daughterhood support groups in your area. 
• The Caregiver Space – Fellow millennial caregivers can connect, share their stories, find resources, and more in this safe and open community. 
• Additional resources: Family Caregiving Alliance, Caregiving.com, The Caregiver’s Living Room, and Happy Health Caregiver. 

Social Networking 

• DaughtersUnite.com – this website hasn’t launched yet but promises to provide a unique social networking platform for the 20M+ daughters and granddaughters in the U.S. who are also caregivers. You can join their mailing list right now to be notified when they launch. 
• Facebook – there are loads of private groups and forums on Facebook in which you can connect with other caregivers and ask questions, vent, find support, and so forth. The ones I have found include Caregiver Space Community, Happy Healthy Caregiver group, Working Daughter group, Caregiver Collective group (for millennial caregivers), and Caregivers Hub Support Group. 

Medical Information 

As a caregiver, you likely have medical questions and need quick answers. Yes, doctors can help, but truly educating yourself about a disease, condition, test, or treatment comes down to a LOT of reading. The thing is, not all medical sites are created equal. Some trustworthy sites include: 

• The Mayo Clinic 

• Harvard Health 
• Science Daily 
• PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) 

Hope this is helpful, 

Angel