Caring for the Care Partner
Caring for a loved one who is living with MS can create physical, emotional, and financial pressure. Great caregiving begins with great self-care. These resources can help you avoid burnout and do your best by being your best.
National MS Society: A Guide for Support Partners
Download this PDF guide here.
National MS Society: Care Partner Support Resources
Download this PDF guide here.
National MS Society: Ask an MS Navigator
MS Navigators are there to connect you to the information, resources and support needed to move your life forward. These supportive partners help navigate the challenges of MS and MS caregiving, providing personalized one-on-one support.
CAN DO MS: Your Guide as a Care Partner
This video series helps care partners maintain or regain their personal wellness. Watch it here.
Website: The Caregiver Action Network
Advocacy on behalf of family caregivers.
Website: Today's Caregiver
A website for the magazine of the same name. Features a broad range of useful articles,
AARP: How To Tell Your Boss You Need Time Off
Website offers a step-by-step guide to making the Family and Medical Leave Act work for you.
U.S. Government: The Family and Medical Leave Act
Website offers a detailed explanation of your rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The Family and Medical Leave Act provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year to care for an immediate family member with a serious health condition. This law applies to employees of public agencies, public and private elementary and secondary schools, and companies with 50 or more employees.
U.S. Government: Disability Services
An online guide to disability services and support offered by the federal government. Includes detailed information on qualifying for and receiving SSI and SSDI disability support payments.
Article: Who is Taking Care of the Caregiver?
An article written by two psychologists at the Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis reviews common caregiver challenges and suggests ways for healthcare professionals to better support caregivers.
Book: Helping Yourself Help Others
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter combines her personal experiences as a caregiver for her father and grandfather with a clear-eyed guidebook that offers practical solutions to the challenges caregivers often face. Find it on amazon.
Article: How To Ask for Help When You Really Need It: The Caregiver's Guide
No family caregiver should go through their loved one's MS journey alone. This article makes asking for help easy.
Article: Battling Loneliness as a Spouse Caregiver
Caring for a spouse through their MS journey is an act of love and commitment. However, it's a role that may feel overwhelming and isolating. This article offers useful tips for offsetting those feelings of loneliness.
Article: MS Caregivers -- You're Not Alone
This article provides an excellent overview of what to expect at every stage of MS, how to prepare for your role as a family caregiver, essential legal and financial preparations, and much more.
Article: Grief and Loss Along the Way
Even when a loved one is still with us, A care partner may experience grief and loss as the person we care for loses the ability to do things. This article walks care partners through the process of grieving loss along the way.
Article: Caregiver Health
Caregiver self-care begins with your mental and physical health. The Family Caregiver Alliance in collaboration with California's Caregiver Resource Center has created this detailed overview of mental and physical health issues that caregivers should take notice of.
Article: Depression and Caregiving
Successful caregiving begins with a healthy mindset. Yet, it's common for family caregivers to experience depression. This article is a how-to guide for identifying signs and symptoms of depression and then taking constructive steps to move past that depression.