Happy Thanksgiving to You from HelpingYouCare®

As we gather with family to give thanks for our Blessings this Thanksgiving, let us all remember in gratitude our senior loved ones and their family caregivers, and the love they give and sacrifice and many contributions they make to better the lives of those they love.

This November, as we celebrate Thanksgiving, we are also celebrating National Family Caregivers Month.

Let us include in our Thanksgiving, special recognition and gratitude for the loving support and crucial caregiving that over 65 Million Americans provide as unpaid family caregivers for millions of elderly, young, sick, or disabled family members. And, let us all seek ways to express our gratitude in action.

As stated in the President’s Proclamation of National Family Caregivers Month – 2012:

Giving Thanks In Action

Helping Family Caregivers and Seniors

Here are some resources that may help us find ways to express our gratitude in actions to help and support family caregivers and seniors, this Thanksgiving and continuing forward:

• 10 Ways to Volunteer with Family Caregivers – from AARP;
• Suggestions from the National Parkinson Foundation on ways you can honor and thank a family caregiver in your life;
• Some Suggestions from HelpingYouCare® on ways you can help family caregivers;
• “Practical Ways You Can Help Family Caregivers” – A Guide for Congregations and Parishes (Presbyterian Health Network – adapted from an article by the National Family Caregivers Association);
• Volunteer to visit or help those in need, or participate in fundraisers by reputable charities to help; and
• Some links to caregiver resources you can provide to help family caregivers you know:
• National Family Caregivers Support Program – from the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA);
• Caregiver Resources – from USA.gov ;
• HelpingYouCare® (.com and .org) – a Comprehensive Family Caregivers Resource;
• National Family Caregivers Association, a non-profit organization;
• National Alliance for Caregiving, a non-profit organization; and
• The Family Caregiver Alliance, a non-profit organization.

Other Ways to Help

Here are some other ways to express gratitude in action by helping others this Thanksgiving:

• Help victims of Hurricane Sandy,
• Support our military troops, or
• Find and participate in public service and volunteer opportunities in your community.

Other Thanksgiving Resources

And, here are some other Thanksgiving resources, including information about:

• The history of the Thanksgiving Holiday in the U.S. – from the Smithsonian Institute,
• Thanksgiving facts and statistics – from the U.S. Census Bureau, and
• Holiday travel tips and food safety tips – from USA.gov.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We at HelpingYouCare® pray that families all across America can share the Blessings of love, caring and kindness, and that each in our own manner can find meaningful ways to express gratitude and give help to those who serve others, this Thanksgiving and going forward.

We wish for you and all your family a Happy, Safe, and Caring Thanksgiving.

Connie Barnhart Koontz and David Koontz
Editor and Senior Editor

HelpingYouCare™

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Copyright © 2012 Care-Help LLC, publisher of HelpingYouCare^®. All rights reserved.