Introducing Caregivers Haven

With introducing Caregivers Haven and what we stand for, I think it’s important to start with the why. It began when a loved one became ill.

My family and I didn’t know much about mental health, let alone, how to help and nurture someone living with neurodivergent behavior. As a neonatal nurse, we offered new parents very detailed instructions to aid them in caring for their newborn once they were home.

However, during the discharge process, the social worker treated what was a crisis for our family with the same amount of apathy as one would a routine oil change. It surprised me when all we received were a few measly pamphlets and referred to a therapist and psychiatrist.

This matter required immediate attention but our appointments were weeks away. I reached out to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to sign up for “Family to Family,” a highly recommended class aiming to bring families facing similar circumstances together for support. But scheduling conflicts prevented me from taking the class until the following year.

This didn’t change that my loved one needed me; but how could I be of service to them if I was without help? I was lost and frustrated. I needed support. I needed the truth. I needed someone to say that my life would resemble the longest drop from the top of a rollercoaster; and that none of us, especially my loved one, may ever be the same. A hard truth, certainly, but the truth nonetheless.

I was eventually given that from an outpatient psychiatrist. But they also gave me an action plan I could work with: create a calm and stable home environment, attend therapy sessions with my loved one, ensure they take their medications, support them and their needs as they navigate living with a severe mental illness.

I also began reading, referring to online resources, and attending support groups to learn of additional ways to help my family while also keeping my peace of mind. These were powerful tools to me as life carried on for us. Years later, while sitting in a support group meeting, the stress of caregiving left one of the attendees overcome with emotion. They were crying and felt hopeless, just as I was at the beginning of my journey. It was then that I considered my wealth of knowledge and experience as both a mother, registered nurse, and carer. I ruminated on the idea of offering others the sense of purpose and clarity I didn’t initially have. What would that look like? How would I go about it? Those answers took shape once I set a goal for this …a haven, for a lack of better words, which was: to educate, support, and empower families to take care of their loved one(s) while also maintaining their own wellness and peace of mind. Thus, Caregivers Haven was born.

A lighthouse calls sailing ships by reflecting a beacon of light along the ocean’s waves. I incorporated these elements into the Caregivers Haven’s logo to symbolize my love of people, meeting them where they are, and helping them along their path. Caring for others that cannot always care for themselves is essential work; but the love we have for our families, chosen or otherwise, doesn’t always make the hard days easier. Yet, everyone, including carers need a village to support them without judgment and stigma.

Caregivers Haven hopes to be part of your village with our offering of resources, support, and education that will not only make you a great carer but empower you to care for yourself and your loved one(s) with peace of mind.