Lutheran Family Services of Virginia

SPR ING 2013

Vickie Millar and her mother

Caregiving

There is strength in coming together

It is a chilly afternoon as about 35 men and women gather

Their stories may all be different, but get a group of

in the large, sunny fellowship hall at Trinity Ecumenical

caregivers together and there is an instant bond formed of

Parish in Moneta, a small town near Smith Mountain

loss, experience, and empathy, says Blevins.

Lake. Group members chat companionably as the fourth

It helps to be around people

workshop of Support U gets under way.

Led by Mary Lou Blevins, a program developer for Lutheran
Family Services, the six-session workshop covers key
caregiving issues: the need to plan ahead, how to track
down resources, the importance of self-care, financial
and legal planning; and perhaps the most difficult of all
navigating the family dynamics of chronic illness and its
effect on family.

who are walking your path

Caregiving is
a marathon,
not a sprint.
Support U
group member

because they have lived it and

understand, says Blevins.
Blevins starts the class with a
recap of what she has learned
about new technology that
will help caregivers GPSembedded sneakers that keep

The stress of caregiving can prevent caregivers from

track of loved ones, t-shirts

keeping up with their own health needs, Blevins says.

that measure vital signs, and

The idea of Support U is to help people prepare for the role

shoe inserts that monitor balance. Then she launches into

of caregiver and to help current caregivers avoid isolation

the days lesson family dynamics and communication.

and burnout.

During a lively interchange, the groups consensus

emerges all norms are suspended once

a caregiving arrangement begins, which
makes communication difficult.
There are very hard conversations that
we have to have with our loved ones, and
family dynamics can make them even
harder, says Blevins. What are your
end-of-life wishes? What kind of funeral
do you want? This is not easy stuff.
Near the end of the class, the conversation
turns to the difficulty of keeping body and
spirit together. One workshop member,
who is caring for a son recovering from
a brain tumor as well as for her husband
and in-laws, talks about the difficulty of
maintaining a balanced life. When she
says, Caregiving is a marathon, not a
sprint, there are murmurs of agreement.
The class discussion is really meaningful
because you realize that you are far from
alone in the universe of caregivers, says
Vickie Millar, who became a caregiver
partner with her father when her mother
became ill. We both learned as we went
along, and we had each other to lean on
when times were especially difficult.
When that time comes for my Dad, I want
to be as prepared as possible. Millars
mother died at age 82 in 2012.
People who take part in caregiver support
workshops like Support U find better ways
to cope as well as resources that help
alleviate some of the stress of caregiving,

Caregiving
by the
numbers
Its a health care
fact that should take
no one by surprise:
informal caregiving
is the backbone
of our long-term
care system.
More than 43 million
adults care for an
adult over 50 years
of age.
The typical caregiver
spends more than

20 hours per week

caring for her mother
who lives nearby.
The average length
of caregiving is
4.3 years.
Most caregivers
have worked and
managed caregiving
responsibilities at the
same time (74%).
For more information
on caregiving, visit
caregiver.org.

says Blevins. And, they receive the benefit

of the groups wisdom and validation.

Visit our brand

new web site
at lfsva.org

N EW !

Well, that sure took a lot longer than we

thought! Putting together a beautiful,
functional web site is quite a job, and we
couldnt have done it without the design
skills of Adam Smith of 93 Octane, the
agency that developed our beautiful new
logo and promise, restored tagline. Along
with our new site comes a promise from us
to you that the information will be current,
interesting and fresh. Take a look: lfsva.org.

Ace student
needs a family
and a dog
would be nice, too
Timothy (TJ) is a
charming young man
who likes to play football,
basketball, and swim.
Besides being a great
student who makes mostly
all As and Bs, TJ loves
TJ
Photo by Timorah
animals and really, really
Beales Photography
wants a dog when he is
settled with an adoptive family. TJ has had
to face many tough challenges and hard
losses in his life. He can be quiet and shy to
warm up at first, but once he does its easy to
see what makes him a special guy! Find out
more by emailing lwilliams@lfsva.org today.

And some
happy endings
Sometimes we forget to let you know about
children who have found their families. Here
are just a few: Anna, Aaron, Jayden, Jenny,
Alex and Shirley. Go to lfsva.org to read
more about Alex and Shirley and to view a
wrap up of last year in our annual report.

Support U is part of the Lutheran Services in America Caregiver Suite, and is

targeted primarily to caregivers of seniors over age 50. To find out more about
bringing Support U to your congregation or business, call Mary Lou Blevins at
540.774.7100 or email her at mblevins@lfsva.org. For a schedule of upcoming
Support U workshops, visit lfsva.org.

Aaron

Jayden

Photo by Lauri Bridgeforth

Photo by Mike Kelley

Anna

Jenny

Visit us online! Four members of the Trinity Support U workshops share their thoughts

on caregiving at lfsva.org. Meet Judy, Norris, Vickie and Dave, who have each cared for
a beloved family member in a different way.

Photo by Monica Grimes

He likes it! Hand-held tablets open up a world of learning for Mikey

Every day at the Danville Day Support Program, Mikey carefully takes a LeapPad learning
tablet out of its case, checks the batteries, turns it on and logs into his profile. With the gentle
guidance of a staff member at his side, Mikey is ready to get digital. He reviews the photos
he has taken and decides what he should photograph that day, which might include a picture
book or a movie on televisionor you.
With a recent $1,350 grant from The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region, Lutheran
Family Services of Virginia is helping individuals like Mikey build fine motor skills and improve

To find out more about

Lutheran Family
Services day support
programs and other
services for adults with
disabilities, please call
1.800.359.3834 or
email info@lfsva.org.

basic comprehension. The grant enabled the day

support staff to buy the LeapPad Explorer Learning System, a hand-held learning
device designed for pre-K and elementary school age children that is often used
as a learning tool for adults with intellectual and developmental delays.
Besides using it to take pictures, he enjoys the spelling and writing games,
which help increase his communication skills, says Linda Montgomery,
the centers program manager. The LeapPad system lets Mikey explore his
creative side, improve fine motor skills, learn to care for an important piece
of equipment, and most importantly, helps him to interact with others in a
wonderfully positive fashion.

This year marks the 125th anniversary of Lutheran Family Services of Virginia. Throughout
the year we will be featuring stories about the Lutheran Childrens Home of the South where
our story began. The photo above from 1938 is just one of a trove of photos showing life at the
Lutheran Childrens Home. You can find them online at the new lfsva.org.

missionmoments
New Day Support Center opens.

For adults with

by autism sponsored by LFSVA. While parents are in the

disabilities and their families, a day support center can

information sessions, children take part in a social group,

be a huge help. The program provides respite for families

which they enjoy a lot! His parents, Cheryl and Ken

and skill building and socialization for individuals. We

Shomo, told us afterward about his prayer and about his

are happy to report that after six months of planning and

amazing progress in school. Cullen, we thank God for you,

renovations, a large and spacious

your incredibly supportive parents, and for the opportunity

center has opened adjacent to our

to help you experience a richer and more abundant life.

Developmental Services office in

our staff, who worked tirelessly to

May is Foster Care Awareness and Older Americans

Month. Of the more than 5,000 children in foster care

make the program a reality. Still

in Virginia, 1,124 are waiting to be adopted. Be a part of

on the programs wish list are a

the conversation on Facebook at FosterLFSVA or visit our

Wii, large flat-screen TV, games,

ShareOutLoud blog, on lfsva.org for first-hand caregiving

Charlottesville. Congratulations to

puzzles, gifts cards and a karaoke

machine. Need more information?
Call 1.800.359.3834.

Open house visitor

Lawren Wharton, who
started attending the Day
Support Program in April

We thank God, too. One night last December, five-yearold Cullen said a prayer that went like this: Thank you God
for letting me see my worker for Christmas and playing with
new friends. This prayer is noteworthy because it shows
how far Cullen has come. The lively, affectionate child began
working with a Lutheran Family Services behavioral therapy
specialist last year to build on the good progress he had
already made since his diagnosis at age two. Through Applied
Behavioral Analysis (ABA) strategies, Cullen was able to build
his attention span and articulate words and put them into

experiences and information on caregiving and grief support.

Wish list
Everyone has a wish list and Lutheran Family
Services is no different! Here are some items
that will benefit students in our Minnick
School autism programs in Harrisonburg,
Roanoke, Wise and Wytheville.

Minnick School Autism Programs:

RR Velcro rolls that can be cut to size

meaningful sentences. Because he was making good progress,

RR Glue sticks

Cullen was discharged from our direct services last fall.

RR Construction paper

In a wonderful, I wonder how Cullen is doing? twist

of fate, he and his family decided to come to the Hampton
Essential Pieces Christmas party. Essential Pieces is a free

RR 4-inch, 3-ring binders

RR Ballpoint pens (not Sharpies)

series of workshops for families with children affected

We provide loving temporary or permanent homes for children in foster

care, help families seeking to adopt through foster care, strengthen families
through community-based services, educate children with complex needs,
provide developmental services for adults with disabilities, offer grief
support, and support older adults and their caregivers.
Our services are born of faith but open to all.

promise, restored

Our MissionWorks is published by LFSVA.

Editor: Carole Todd, 757.722.4707, ext. 1319,
ctodd@lfsva.org. Our administrative office

Visit us at lfsva.org

is 2609 McVitty Road, Roanoke, VA 24018.

1.800.359.3834 lfsva.org.