Caregiver isolation

Putting out fires is a regular occurrence for parents and caregivers of those with disabilities!  There is always something to deal with and it seems like new things are always coming up!  With everything that the family is dealing with, isolation can be common.  Feeling like you have nobody to talk to who understands or who can give you sound advice is a frequent feeling!

With the boom of technology and social media, there are many options out there that can help you not to feel so alone, without even leaving your home! 

• Parent support groups were long the only option, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual became an option and has withstood to be frequently used.    
• Facebook has groups for just anything, including parents and caregivers of special needs.  Group are as general as 'caregivers' to specific 'Autism Parents Support Group.'  The majority of groups are private, in an effort to moderate and avoid advertising.  When searching for a group that fits you, we recommend groups that are a bit larger (e.g, 5k or more members) and there are daily posts. 
• Podcasts - While this doesn't allow you to vent, it does allow you to listen to other parents who may have been or are going through the same struggles!  As with Facebook, there are an infinite number of podcasts in a variety of topics, such as 'The Special Needs Podcast' or 'The Autism Dad.'  
• TikTok and other social media platforms.  Many special needs parents have dove into social media and posting much of their lives and what they deal with on a day to day basis.  While posting may not be your thing, even just viewing those users can allow some comfort in that your not alone!

Everything is available with a simple search!  Google your needs and there is likely something out there that fits you and most of the time, they're free!  Sometimes it might take a little digging, but that might be worthwhile effort to allow you to vent a little to someone whose been there and gets it!