Helpful information is available if you wish to learn how you might better manage your financial burdens, especially as they are compounded by the current economy.

TAKE CARE! – Self Care for the Family Caregiver is the National Family Caregivers Association‘s quarterly newsletter written to provide members of NFCA with information, insight, support and knowledge. It’s a great little newsletter with well-written articles.

In the current issue (Winter 2009), there is extensive information for caregivers about managing family finances in the current economy. And it’s good information. Articles include “The Costs of Caregiving”, “Money-Saving Tips for Family Caregivers”, “Protect Yourself Against Financial Fraud”, and “Tax Tips for Family Caregivers”.

As a member of NFCA, I receive a paper copy of National Family Caregivers Association’s TAKE CARE! newsletter. Mine arrived in yesterday’s mail. I’ve just checked the NFCA web site and this quarter’s newsletter is already available online in the caregiving resource section of the NFCA’s web site.

Caregiver Tip:

If you’ve not yet discovered the National Family Caregivers Association, take a moment to visit their website at www.thefamilycaregiver.com. I think you’ll find it to be a solid source of helpful information.

For example, if you were to write a paper on growing roses, your neighbor with a green thumb and beautiful New Dawns might be a great source of information. However, unless she has a degree in botany or is a Master Gardener, your teacher will not consider her an “authoritative source”.

When researching medical information online you may be overwhelmed with the amount of information available for you to choose among. There are web forums, blogs (like this one, MSCaregiver.com), web portals, industry-related web sites, and online encyclopedias.

Be careful. Pay attention to what authority stands behind the information. A good example is this blog, MSCaregiver.com. I am not an authority on Multiple Sclerosis. I am not a physician or research scientist. I will not write beyond my authority. I am a man married to a woman with Multiple Sclerosis, “doing my best when I can’t make it better”. I write about what works for me and I share it here. Some of it is practical information like “Tips for Traveling and Multiple Sclerosis” and “How Does One Talk with a Doctor?“. Some of it is inspirational, “How Do You Pray?“. Because I am not an authority on Multiple Sclerosis, I will not say, “take drug X and it will relieve your symptom Y”.

Why this discussion about authoritative sources?

It is vitally important that caregivers and patients not base their medical decisions on bad information. Bad information is information that is wrong or incomplete. An example of incomplete information is discussed in a recent article on MSNBC.com titled, “Wikipedia often omits important drug data“. The subtitle is “Study: Entries may not include side effects or risks from mixing medications”. I encourage you to read the article. It’s important.

The article mentions a better source for medication information is Medscape Drug Reference, a free, peer-reviewed web site. The article also mentions using medlineplus.gov for “good quality information that you can feel confident in.”

If you want to learn about joining a support group or what my wife means by “leg hours“, this blog is for you. If you want professional help with an issue more critical to health, that might be risky or is medical in nature, talk with a physician. Use authoritative sources.

So here’s the logical question for readers to ask when they read MSCaregiver.com, “Who pays for this blog, MSCaregiver.com?”  In fact, this is a question you must ask of any information source, “Who is paying to present this information?  Who funds this message?”

The quick answer is for MSCaregiver.com is, “I am.  I’m Rick Wheat.  My wife has Multiple Sclerosis and I’m an MS caregiver.”  The financial costs of maintaining this blog (and most blogs) are minimal … only $1 per month for hosting and a few more bucks a year for the domain name.

Why is it important for readers to know who pays for MSCaregiver.com?  Because you need to know that no one is paying for advertising here and no one is paying me to write content.  I write what I wish, about what I think may be helpful, and about what I’ve found to be helpful to me and my wife.  I write it because I want to offer support to others who care for a person with Multiple Sclerosis.

A nice thing about not being paid for my efforts here is that I can write when I wish.  Follow MSCaregiver.com long enough and you’ll notice that sometimes I write frequently, other times I take frequent breaks.

Now that you know this blog is not a commercial endeavor, but about my own personal experiences, I hope you’ll share what works for you.  If you have something to offer, sign up and share your comments!

The quickest way to begin taking advantage of the free resources offered by the MSF is to visit the MSF web site. There you’ll find information about MS; links to information about support programs, grants, patient services; free online publications and fact sheets and information for health care professionals.

MSF’s publications include MSFocus magazine and Support Group News, both available at no cost to MS patients, relatives, caregivers and healthcare professionals. Also, MSFYi is a free email newsletter about the latest developments in MS research and treatment. Visit the MSF Magazines and Newsletters page to subscribe to any of these publications.

All MSF services, information, literature and subscriptions to publications are provided free of charge.

Caregiver Tip: Because of the current wild Winter weather, one of the most appropriate MSF articles to start with is “Emergency Planning“.

ABLEDATA offers several different types of resources including links to web sites that share information on assistive technology and other disability-related issues, a searchable “Assistive Technology Library”, product reviews, and news items on assistive technology and disability issues.

As examples of what ABLEDATA makes available: in the Caregiver section of the Resources menu there are 60 different resources for caregivers. In ABLEDATA’s long list of fact sheets and consumer guides, you’ll find the very helpful, “Informed Consumer’s Guide to Wheelchair Selection“. and the extensive (and practical), “Intensive Mobility Training for Disabled Drivers for the Safe Use of Power Wheelchairs, Scooters & Automobiles“.

Caregiver Tip: Take advantage of the information available on the ABLEDATA web site.

What I find inspiring are the stories of people with Multiple Sclerosis who just won’t quit.

If you find yourself wondering about the stories of other people with MS, you’ll be interested in this YouTube video titled, “Living with Multiple Sclerosis”, about Dan Powell, an art professor at University of Oregon who is living with MS.

From the website: “NMEDA is a non-profit trade association of mobility equipment dealers, driver rehabilitation specialists, and other professionals dedicated to broadening the opportunities for people with disabilities to drive or be transported in vehicles modified with mobility equipment. All members work together to improve transportation options of people with disabilities.”

The website is a great resource for you if you’re considering a modified vehicle. The site’s Dealer Directory offers links to websites of companies which modify vehicles

A growing series of 10 publications, MS in Focus, is a free resource for people with MS, their caregivers, medical professionals and MS support groups. The series addresses the broad spectrum of issues related to living with Multiple Sclerosis. Each of the 10 publications is available as a free PDF download.

Titles in the series include, “Pain and MS”, “Caregiving and MS”, “Genetics and hereditary aspects of MS”, “Rehabilitation”, “Intimacy and Sexuality”, “Healthy Living”, “Emotions and Cognition”, “Special focus on the family”, “Dealing with Bladder Problems”, and “Dealing with Fatigue”.

You can also sign up for a free paper subscription or an email subscription. It appears a new publication in the MS in Focus series are released each 6 months.

Caregiver Tip: Take advantage of the free information about Multiple Sclerosis. The Multiple Sclerosis International Federation is an example of the organizations created to help MS patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

The focus of the website is on caregiving for people with all types of illnesses and needs. The results of the “Caring Today/CVS Pharmacy Family Caregiver Insights Study” are available online. The study of 500 caregivers offers a more positive perspective about caregiving than many may expect. For example, 59% of caregivers surveyed report an increase in the quality of relationship with the person for whom they care. That’s a good thing.

Caregiver Tip: Remember that being a caregiver can actually strengthen the relationship you have with the one for whom you care.