Ten Ways to Support the Caregivers
in Your Parish

    1. Get and read a copy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ "Blessings of Age: A Pastoral Message on Growing Older Within the Faith Community." Purchase copies to make it available for parishioners. (For more information, click here.)

    2. Survey the parish to identify the needs of the caregivers in your community.

    3. Collect and distribute information from the local Area Agency on Aging, diocesan programs, the Internet, and others sources.

    4. Start a caregiver support group.

    5. Talk about caregivers in homilies and remember them in the Prayers of the Faithful at Mass.

    6. Regularly provide caregiver information in the parish bulletin and school publications and on the parish Web site.

   7. Have parish pastoral ministers making visits to the homebound also offer assistance and encouragement to their caregivers.

    8. Host a "Caregivers’ Day" to honor your families’ caregivers with an event that recognizes their contributions, offers them information to help them in their tasks, and gives them an opportunity to meet fellow caregivers. (Include respite care as part of the event for those who need it.)

    9. Sponsor educational presentations for pastoral care ministers and parish staff to increase their awareness of a caregiver’s roles and needs.

    10. Set up prayer chain so that fellow parishioners can remember the needs of caregivers in their prayers.