Who Cares for the Caregiver? I am so blessed to enjoy the companionship of my 97 year old grandmother! She is my hero. However, I have also watched her need for care diminish my own parents’ health and stamina. They have been her caregivers for the past 16 years. Many of you have also experienced the role of caregiver July 2014 Special Points of Interest    or will enter into that role in the near future. Today’s article is  month I will address the psychological needs of the caregiver.  going to address the physical needs of the caregiver. Next You must take responsibility for your own health and wellness. Once you become a caregiver, whether by conscious decision, or as a result of something you just gradually phase in to, it is important to maintain your own health. You cannot be of any help to the other person if you fail to take care of your own physical needs as they arise. This can be related to simple every day things such as eating correctly, getting enough sleep and taking time for yourself. If you care for someone who needs considerable help at night, for example, you may need to make sure you get additional sleep in the morning or during Continued on page2 Volume 1 Issue 5        Calendar Sales Kick-off—June Kate Bagnal Scholarship Applications due to Central Region—July 15 July Picnic—Mountain Valley Bank (July17, 5:00 CST) Jr. 4-H Handcraft Workshop (July 2123, 9:00—3:00, Fair Bldg) County Council Meeting—Extension Office (Monday, July 28—1:00 CST) UT Steak & Potatoes Field Day (August 5, 8:30 a.m. CST) Sequatchie County Fair (August 9—16) Rutherford County Quilt Trail— (August 15, 9:00 a.m. CST) Fall Gardener’s Festival—(August 26, 8:00 a.m CDT) Cagle Community Quilt Show— (September 5-6) Lone Oak Community Quilt Show— (September 20-21) Fall Craft Expo—(October 14, 9:003:00) Mountains cannot be surmounted except by winding paths. -- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe Continued from page 1 the day in order to maintain your own health. Trying to carry out the caregiving needs in addition to your won responsibilities can easily lead to exhaustion. Sleep is important to your health. Seek resources to help you at night that may be paid through insurance or other resourced for the elderly. Taking care of your own health also involves taking time for yourself. Some caregiving situations can become extremely time intensive. When this happens, you need to find ways to give yourself a break. Another family member may be able to take over for a few hours so you can do something for yourself, or just get away and take a walk or a nap. If there is no one else who can fill this role, again seek local resources for a respite worker who can come to tend your loved one while you take a break. Some people have difficulty recognizing their own need for time to themselves, self-care or a break. They may be devoted to the person for whom they are caring, and/or they may simply be determined to do it all themselves. They neglect themselves and their own needs. Some people go so far as to become dependent upon their role as a caregiver, and fail to recognize that they are becoming over-involved. When this happens, the caregiver may need to talk to someone such as a trained religious leader or a counselor. Other family members may need to watch to be sure the caregiver is not over extending themselves. They can encourage caregivers to take care of themselves, and volunteer to help with both time and resources. What three things could you do to improve your health? What resources have you used to help in your caregiving role? Information taken from: DeBois, M & Bosch, K (2006). Who cares for the caregiver. Nebraska Lincoln Extension. Publication HEF569 4-H HAPPENINGS… I am so grateful to the support given to our 4-H programs. Below are some dates that we could use your help. Summer Workshops Scheduled: Hand Craft Workshop: July 21-23 Photography Workshop: July 30—August 1 Sequatchie County Fair 4-H Night/Awards & Recognition—August 15 July Shoe Box Item: hard candies Family Fun Day being planned for July 19. We hope you will choose to help partner with our Honor Club for this exciting Day! A Fun Filled Summer for our local 4-H members: We had 3 students attend Jr. High 4-H Camp, 11 students attend Jr. 4-H Camp, 1 student attend Electric Camp, 3 students attend Line & Design Camp, 2 students were selected to attend Academic Conference, and 2 students attend the first annual Behind the Scenes Sr. High FCS tour. A big THANK YOU to the Valley FCE club for sponsoring our Jr. 4-H Camp t-shirts. Congratulations to our Cultural Arts Winners! Class 5: Crochet items—Nancy Carol Dawson Class 6: Cross-Stitch—Linda Barker Class 10: Embroidery: Hand—Linda Barker Class 12: Fine Art Paining: Oil—Janis Spangler Class 13: Fine Art Painting: Watercolor— Janis Spangler Class 19: Knitting: Hand—Nancy Carol Dawson Class 25: Quilts: Baby & Lap Quilts— Juanita Harmon TAFCE CENTRAL REGION ANNUAL MEETING THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2014 Registration/Cultural Arts Check-in: 8:30 a.m. Meeting begins at 10:00 a.m. Rutherford County Extension Office Cost: $20.00 includes meal Registration deadline: August 15, 2014 To register contact: Judith Kerley 423-949-2888 [email protected] July Picnic Thursday, july 17 Make checks payable to: Sequatchie County 5:00 p.m. cst Mountain Valley bank—summit room Bring a covered dish and join us for a fun night of entertainment: Fall Craft Expo Friends of the Library October 14, 2014 Fashion Revue How Much Help Can You Give? Many people become caregivers without really assessing their ability to do so. For example, would you be able to lift the person in and out of bed if needed? Are you in good health yourself? If you have a health problem that slows you down or for which you need regular treatment, do you have enough energy to devote to caring for another person? Your time commitments must also be considred. What other responsibilities do you have? Finances may be an important factor. Does the person you are caring for have sufficient finances to cover basic needs? Would you need to assist occasionally or even frequently? If yes, do you have funds that you could devote to this? 9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m. Ewtonville Baptist Church Current Classes Scheduled: Arm Knitting Loom Knitting Clay pins Solo necklaces Post It Frames Much more to come!!!! Planning meeting Monday, July 28 at 1:00 p.m. CST (This is during our scheduled Council meeting) Rutherford County Quilt Tour Give A Kid A Chance Friday, August 15, 2014 Friday, July 25 Cost: $25.00 9:00—noon 9:00 a.m. CST—4:00 p.m. CST Take a trip back in time as you enjoy the scenic countryside of Rutherford County. Learn how family farms are sustaining their history and economic viability. See the artistry of traditional quilts with a backdrop of history and beautiful buildings. Lunch will be catered by Carolyn’s Creations at Cripple Creek Presbyterian Church. For more information contact: Pat Whitaker Family and Consumer Sciences Rutherford County UT—TSU Extension Phone: 615-898-7710 [email protected] We are still in need of school supplies. If you would like to make a financial donation, please drop it by the office and I will make sure it is used to purchase school supplies. Also, Serenity Point will be donating shoes to the kids. They are accepting gently used shoe donations. I cleaned out my shoe closet last night! You may drop your shoe donations at Serenity Point. Extra hands are always welcomed during the event. If you are free next Friday, stop by the high school and we will put you to work! :-) Deadline to register is August 8. From the State Family and Consumer Education designated as National Collection Week where all of the Board: boxes are collected by taking them to a drop off site We are excited to share a new opportunity for FCE members to become involved with Operation Christmas Child (OCC). This is a project hosted through Samaaritan’s Purse, which is an organization aimed at providing aid to hurting people around the world. closest to your town. These boxes are shipped all over the world and individuals can keep track of which country your box goes to. The children who receive these boxes may have never received a gift in their life. This one box c an impact them so greatly. OCC is the world’s largest Christmas project of its You, as FCE members, can help with this goal by kind in which it uses gift-filled shoeboxes to knitting personal items whether they are finger demonstrate love in a tangible way to needy children puppets, dolls, hair ties, pencil cases, a soap bag, hats, around the world. The process of packing these boxes mittens, etc. Everything will be certainly appreciated. includes individuals, families and groups gathering There are several ideas for these types of projects at items and filling the boxes with toy gifts, school http://operationchristmaschild.org.au/?page_id=83. supplies, hygiene items, and notes of encouragement You may bring your items to the Extension Office to be In November of each year, there is one week that is distributed in local OCC boxes. August Topic: Making Decisions We make hundreds of decisions every day. These decisions can be as routine as when to get out of bed, what to eat for lunch, or when to exercise, or decisions can be as significant as what career to pursue or where to live. Whether making a decision about something fairly routine or a major life event, making good decisions takes time, practice, and conscious thought. BOOK REVIEW Each month, I would like to include a book review written by our members. Please submit your favorite book reviews to me via email at [email protected] or drop them by the office. Redeeming Love Hands-on Project: Button Bookmarks Bring your fun, old buttons and a glue gun! We’re going to make cute button bookmarks that will bring joy to any book lover. Written by: Francine Rivers If anyone is in doubt of God’s great love for them, they must read Redeeming Love. This is a historical fiction novel set in the 1850’s Gold Rush era of California. The story is inspired U.T. Extension Sequatchie County by the book of Hosea in the Bible. It’s central theme is God’s 170 Church Street redeeming love toward all sinners. Dunlap, TN 37327 Francine Rivers is my favorite author. I also love her Mark of the Lion series set in the Roman era of Christian persecution of 423-949-2611 the church. Facebook: www.facebook.comUTExtension.Sequatchie Web: http://sequatchie.tennessee.edu Submitted by: Aneta Eichler Family and Community Education Clubs (fce) receive research-based information through the University of Tennessee Extension. This is an opportunity to experience learning with friends as you share what you know at hands-on workshops and meetings. Topics that are shared throughout the year focus on Human Development, Nutrition and Food Safety, Money Management/ Family Economics, and Health and Safety. Through shared opportunities you can learn skills helpful in bringing growth to your community, church, local government, and family. Our clubs are open to all individuals. We do not exclude persons on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, religion or veteran status from its membership, participation or benefits. Cagle Community Club 1st Monday of every month 1:00 p.m. Cagle Community Center Valley Club 1st Thursday of every month 4:30 p.m. UT Extension Office Chapel Hill Club 2nd Tuesday of every month 1:00 p.m. Chapel Hill United Methodist Lone Oak Community Club 4th Monday of every month noon EST Lone Oak Community Center