Image courtesy of RSVP 55+

A caregiver is someone who provides direct care for children, the elderly, or those who are chronically ill.

But sometimes, the caregiver is the one in need of help. RSVP 55+ Volunteer Program Guthrie County Coordinator Mary Porter says she had seen in an article that about 30 percent of caregivers end up passing before the person they’re caring for. She points out that this is mainly because the caregiver doesn’t have time to take care of themselves.

“That’s basically because they can’t get away, go to their doctor’s appointments, see family, get a nap, and they’re not eating well, they’re not resting.”

With the Adult Caregiver Respite program, volunteers from RSVP take over for two to four hours for caregivers, so they can do some of the things that they need to do. To become a volunteer for RSVP 55+ Volunteer Program in Guthrie County, contact Mary Porter at 641-431-0132, or email her at rsvpguthrieco@gmail.com.