Family Caregiver Support Programs (FCSP) does just what its name indicates: provides support for folks who are taking care of family members not as paid professionals, but as unpaid family caregivers. This includes a lot of people who would give you a blank stare if you asked Are you the caregiver? The probable response would be, No, Im his son. (Or daughter, wife, husband, etc.). Identifying ourselves as caregivers is difficult. Its what we do, not who we are until what we do overwhelms who we are. Enter support services.

FCSP explores several different paths to resources, and works to help the family caregiver remain as such amid pressures, expectations, stress, and the myriad other forces that come to bear in such a situation. Sometimes it just seems like hobbies go by the wayside. Sometimes time just keeps slipping away. And sometimes, our own expectations as family put such a load on us, we can barely keep on keepin on. 

FCSP provides opportunities for the caregiver. Yes, its easy to rationalize that the real need lies with Dad, who needs help to just get through the day. True. But what happens if youre no longer able to help Dad? Then, we just have two people in need, or as sometimes happens, you end up with more health problems than Dad yep, it happens.

The staff who manage these programs care about people and are excited to have the opportunity to help those who are helping others and theyve seen the successes. There are some program/system dynamics to go through, screenings and interviews, but these are designed to pinpoint the extent of the need so appropriate resources can be tapped. And resources might mean anything from time away while a professional caregiver covers for you, or support groups, or counseling, and so on.

Just contact either of the numbers at the bottom of the column, or as noted last time, you can contact FCSP: Eric Nessa at 800-801-0060 (NessaEM@dshs.wa.gov) or Linda Green at 888-571-6557 (greenll@dshs.wa.gov). 

Oh, the plan? Washington state, in the midst of the same budget crunches as everywhere, did actually offer additional monies in order to further support FCSP throughout the state. For one year, over $3 million was made available to help screen, assess and support an additional 1,500 family caregivers. 

And speaking of plans Olympic Area Agency on Aging is developing their Area Plan for 2012-2015 and includes all our services to elders and folks with disabilities.

Public feedback is always needed. How does a plan become meaningful if the planners dont know whats happening in the community? For Pacific County, the hearing/meeting/gathering is set for July 20 at the county courthouse, 11 a.m. to noon. In Grays Harbor, its at the county courthouse the same day, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.