Support available for caregivers of family members with mental illness

November is National Family Caregivers Month, which recognizes the role of caregivers and the importance of their rewarding and seemingly never-ending work. It is also a time to focus on resources and support to help those who give so much to others.

More than 53 million Americans are unpaid caregivers to family, friends and neighbors. Mental Health America reports that 27% or nearly a third of those adult caregivers are helping someone with a mental illness.

Caregiving for individuals with mental illness comes with its unique set of challenges, including isolation and increased levels of stress. Mental Health America also reports that these caregivers are 21% more likely to feel high emotional stress when compared to caregivers of people with a physical condition.

Caregivers have become more at risk for mental health issues with additional isolation and challenges from the pandemic.

“The toll of dealing with someone with a severe and persistent mental illness is physically and emotionally exhausting,” said Linda Jakes, executive director for Concord Counseling Services, one of more than 30 community-based providers funded through the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County (ADAMH). “If you don’t take care of yourself, you are not going to do a good job caring for others.”

Through its Respite Program for Caregivers, Concord not only provides a much-needed break for the caregiver, but also works to help the individual they care for become more integrated into the larger community.

The Respite Program is a free service, thanks to a partnership with ADAMH and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Franklin County. What makes the program unique is that professionally trained companions engage with caregivers to provide support in caring for their adult loved one.

“Knowing the commitment of our families and the toll caregiving can take, it was important to offer education, support and respite services to those in our community who play this important role,” said Meg Griffing, ADAMH senior director for Provider Relations, who was instrumental in starting the program at Concord.

Services are provided based upon individual needs and respite companions can either spend time in the home or take them to activities in the community that provide opportunities for socialization. Respite workers also serve as a resource for caregivers, connecting them to additional services and supports.

Sophia Escobio has been legal guardian and full-time caregiver for her young brother, Robert, since 2011. She and her brother have been taking advantage of the respite program since its beginning in 2017.

“The program provides an outlet for both of us,” Escobio said. “It has been very beneficial in providing stabilization and socialization for my brother. It allows me free time, providing a few hours to de-stress and not have to worry about him as much.”

The respite program also breaks up the intensity of a one-on-one relationship – which Escobio found particularly important during the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the respite program was virtual during the height of the pandemic, she said it still provided an important outlet for her and her brother.

“Even prior to COVID, I totally lost myself in this situation,” Escobio said. “But to be a caregiver you have to take care of yourself. The Respite Program gives me a chance to relax and have some ‘me’ time and I know he is in good hands.”

In addition to encouraging participation in the Respite Program, Jakes offers a few self-care tips for caregivers:• Take time for yourself.• Talk with a trusted friend or go through NAMI Franklin County to get connected with someone who has similar experiences.• There are many support groups that provide opportunities to develop a network of friends – NAMI Franklin County and Mental Health America of Ohio can help.• Pay attention to your own mental health needs. Find a therapist who can hear you in a nonjudgmental way.

For a full list of the more than 30 community-based mental health and addiction service providers that make up the ADAMH network of care, visit adamhfranklin.org. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.