National Family Caregivers Month

November is national family caregivers month!

Use this opportunity to recognize and thank the caregivers you encounter, to educate the public about the realities of caregiving, to provide concrete strategies for supporting caregivers, and to encourage staff and patients to honor the caregivers in their lives. To help you do so, we have created four printable signs and two social media posts that you can download and use at no cost to you! We only ask that you answer a few questions on the form below so that we have a sense of how the materials are being used.

Other ideas for supporting caregivers this month include: providing blank cards for patients to create a thank you note for their caregiver, having treats and decorations out by the caregiver signs, giving out bookmarks, mugs, or gift boxes from The Negative Space, or highlighting caregiver resources your organization provides.

If you’d like support with any of these initiatives or other ideas you might have, please feel free to contact us at hello@thenegativespace.life. Thank you for supporting caregivers this month and every month!

caregiver sign

Staff sign - stats

staff sign - phrases

patient sign

Caregiver - social media post

general public - Social media post

SIGN UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER

The Negative Space sends an e-newsletter when there are updates and announcements. Sign up to stay up to date.

“I have a therapist, but they haven’t been a caregiver, so they don’t get it the way Allison does. It is so helpful as I go though my week to know that I will have a time and place to talk to someone about my caregiving life. These sessions are exactly what I was hoping for.”

“The Negative Space support groups have been the place where I’ve gotten the most support in my caregiving journey. Being a caregiver can feel so isolating and this group helped me feel not alone.”

"The 'In Sickness' podcast brings together a wide variety of everyday topics, as well as emotional and physical resources for anyone in the caregiver role. The deep understanding that Allison and Justin bring to this particular rollercoaster is comforting and refreshing. It’s a place to be seen, heard, and supported wherever you are in this caregiving journey."

“It’s impossible to fully understand how all-encompassing, relentless and isolating being a caregiver is - until you become one. Allison has created a unique and critically needed place where caregivers feel supported, and more importantly, SEEN. I can’t recommend The Negative Space more highly to caregivers and those who support them.”

"I've never been in a support group quite like Allison's. It's a space honed to hold a host of experiences and emotions and to let them flow. I suspect that's from what she brings with her decades of experience in education. Whatever it is, I'm glad for it. The Negative Space is a space to be seen in your fullness, even when you're struggling to find the words for it."

READ HONEST ACCOUNTS OF CAREGIVER LIFE

The Negative Space began as a way for Allison to share her thoughts about what it really feels like to be a caregiver. These pieces of creative writing may resonate with your caregiving experience and likely include truths you haven’t seen in writing before.

CONTACT THE NEGATIVE SPACE

Reach out directly to let me know other ways I can support you and the caregiver community.

benefit from 1:1 support

The Negative Space offers 1:1 virtual coaching. These hour long sessions provide caregivers with a space for venting, processing, and/or problem solving with a listener who gets it and won’t bright side or judge. Sessions are $100, but a sliding scale is available. No one will be turned away for an inability to pay.

Contact The Negative Space for more information, to schedule a complimentary 15 minute meeting, or to set up a 1:1 session.

JOIN THE NEGATIVE SPACE COMMUNITY ONLINE

Join The Negative Space community online on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for daily stories, community, practical tips, and support.

LISTEN TO THE “IN SICKNESS” PODCAST

Listen in as Allison Breininger, creator of The Negative Space, and Justin Bajema, both millennial caregivers for their chronically ill spouses, speak honestly about what life is like when there are more days spent in sickness than in health.

JOIN the ONLINE SUPPORT GROUP

The Negative Space offers bi-monthly virtual caregiver support groups at no cost, which are open to current and former caregivers of all types. In these sessions hard things are not sugar coated and experiences are not bright sided. Join the mailing list to be alerted when each session is scheduled.