No family or elder deserves this – How can we help?

Unprecedented times call for extraordinary response.

I am asking all of you to join me and Keeping it REAL Caregiving, to help support the American Red Cross in response and relief efforts in Ukraine.

I have made a contribution to get things rolling!

You can make a tax-deductible donation here, that goes directly to the American Red Cross to do ‘something’ to help those escaping Ukraine.

Caregiving on a global stage

I’m going to go out on a limb and suspect all of us are thinking about and ‘feeling’ the anguish and pain being inflicted upon innocent civilians.

Our world is better than this. We are more civilized than this. Or at least, so I thought…

As you know, KIRC is non-political. But, what we are all watching unfold in the Ukraine is well… beyond comprehension. I don’t know about you, but my heart is aching. I am angry. I am afraid. And I feel helpless.

You know me. I can’t just sit back and do nothing. Instead, I reached out to my local American Red Cross representative and asked, “What can I do in some small way to help? How can others within the KIRC family help?”

Within hours, my local rep helped create a website portal, where we can make a donation to the American Red Cross.

I chose this organization because of its global reach, reputation and commitment to aiding those in emergency crisis.

Courtesy: Screenshot American Red Cross

Stats from the American Red Cross

According to an American Red Cross March 9, 2022 news release, here’s what the agency is saying:

In Ukraine: Aid Amidst the Violence

Over the past eight years, teams have been on the ground delivering assistance to at-risk families including providing food, fuel for heating, medical supplies and support for housing.

Under mortal danger to themselves, Red Cross teams are still working tirelessly to help people and communities impacted by conflict. Around the clock, teams are providing emergency aid amid fear and uncertainty. Over the past week in Ukraine, Red Cross teams have:

Distributed more than 90,000 food and hygiene parcels to families on the move across Ukraine, including Mariupol.

Provided first aid training to more than 12,000 people in metro stations and bomb shelters.

Delivered more than 32 tons of food, blankets, medicine, medical supplies, trauma kits and household items.

Assisted with the evacuation of people with disabilities.

Distributed critical care items to over 7,000 people seeking safety from shelling in bomb shelters.

The current needs are tremendous, critical among them include water delivery, support to health facilities and medical care for families wounded.

Pain felt around the globe

I can’t help but think of the millions of people whose lives are forever altered. I think of those families with elders who have horrific choices: either try to escape to save yourself (possibly leaving your elder behind), or trying to get to safety with them in tow.

Civilians fleeing from Irpin, near Kyiv

IRPIN, UKRAINE – MARCH 8: Several people help to evacuate a sick elderly man across the riveras civilians continue to flee from Irpin due to ongoing Russian attacks in Irpin, Ukraine on March 08, 2022. (Photo by Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Helping elders

News images of reporters trying help elders brought me to tears. It reminded me of a recurring nightmare I had during the final years caregiving for my mother.

In that nightmare we experienced some kind of massive emergency and needed to evacuate – quickly!

When Miss Nellie had her heart attack in 2017, it impacted her ability to manage many of the daily tasks she had been independent with.

Then in 2018 when the devastating Camp Fire tore through the town of Paradise, the threat of deadly wildfire was no longer something that happened to other people. The danger was real. It could happen to us, too.

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If you would like to ‘take action’ in any small way, you can visit the Keeping it REAL Caregiving – American Red Cross landing page to make a donation.

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I understood just how difficult it would be if I had to quickly evacuate in an emergency, with my aging and declining mother in tow.

All of sudden, I looked at emergencies differently wondering…

  • Is my ‘go-bag’ and one for mom properly packed?

  • Do I have extra medications?

  • Will mom be mobile enough to get out quickly?

  • Will the stress push her over the edge?

  • It’s not fair. She should be able to live out her life in calm and safety.

You can read more about emergency planning for elders and the recurring nightmare by visiting the Keeping it REAL Caregiving website blog

If you like the KIRC perspectives and stories, be sure to share it with your circle of family & friends

Can nightmares come to pass?

Let’s help where we can -donate today to the American Red Cross fund

Sigh… No one deserves what we are seeing in Ukraine. Especially not our elders.

I want to help. I invite you to join me in that effort.

Until next time~

Julia

*Header image courtesy: Getty Images/Kutay Tanir*