Keeping It REAL Caregiving on Preaching beyond the choir…

Hello KIRC fam!

I have a confession to make. Quite often, I talk to myself. It is usually during moments when I am trying to figure out a solution to something. I find when I ‘talk it out’ with myself, more often than not I come up with the answer.

I also have to admit when it comes to sharing information regarding family caregiving, I often feel as if I am speaking into a giant – empty – bottomless pit – a void.

But then something happens that reminds me to keep talking and writing about the subject. Case in point: I recently shared with all of you that KIRC led a panel session on family caregiving, presented to the Society of Professional Journalists for the 2023 Annual Convention.

Colleagues with the American Society on Aging joined me and afterwards, I was asked to share the experience with readers of the ASA Generations publication.

Moments like this remind me that as caregivers (family or professional) we truly do have valuable insights to share with others.

Below is an excerpt from the piece. I invite you to check out the full article.

Preaching beyond the choir about family caregiving

How does one quickly engage a room full of professional journalists when the topic at hand is family caregiving?
I believe the answer to that question is to engage journalists at as many opportunities as possible. When those who have lived the caregiving experience or who work in the field of aging share real experiences, it can help journalists to better understand the complex and intertwined issues at play.
I am a broadcast journalist by profession, turned family caregiver, turned educator and advocate. My professional role is that of a communications consultant.
My personal role? I cared for my elderly and now deceased mother during her final years. That experience gave me more knowledge about caregiving than I ever could have gleaned from a book.

I hope you will be motivated to speak up about your experiences (good, bad, lesson’s learned, etc.) in your respective communities and connect with local journalists. Do not limit yourselves. Seek out print, radio, and television journalists. If you are asked to share your story, push past the nerves and say ‘yes.’

I’m happy to share that at least one of the journalists who attended our session left more fired-up about covering these stories. She has reached out for more information. She is in the process of producing a series of stories for her local community, focused on family caregiving and dementia.

The more of us who have lived the caregiving journey willing to share what we have learned – the REAL nuggets of daily life – the more light we shed on how caregiving impacts all of us. We can identify what works, what needs to change, and hopefully find ways to improve the support safety net.

Do YOU have a story you believe would help others? I would love to share that with our growing KIRC family and a growing network of journalists now connecting with me.
Are you a journalists looking for subject matter experts in the field of caregiving? Contact KIRC to learn how we can help.
KIRC serves as a Regional Advocate with the California Coalition on Family Caregiving. Click here to learn how to get involved.