For MS Caregivers SubPage 1.1

For MS Caregivers

AM I AN MS CAREGIVER?

Do any of these situations sound familiar?

My neighbor has MS. She relies on me to pick up her mail, drop off groceries, and do other errands that she has trouble doing for herself.

My husband or wife has advanced MS. I manage everything – appointments, medications, getting around the house, and taking care of their personal needs.

My mom has MS. She lives in another town, but I attend every medical appointment and help manage her care.

My child has MS. He’s in college now, but I still make sure he’s taking care of himself, taking his meds, and working with professors to make accommodations if he needs them.

My sister has MS. We talk all the time about how to manage her medical needs and find services I’m also her sounding board and cheerleader.

My best friend has MS. I meet with him three days a week to help him do his physical therapy exercises.

If any of these describe your situation, this site is for you.

Caregivers provide unpaid assistance to a family member, friend, or neighbor who needs help with activities of daily living related to managing MS. That help takes many forms. It may include emotional support; assistance with errands, transportation, and daily activities at home; help with scheduling, finances, and insurance paperwork; and hands-on physical care.

How Can MS Research Help You

WE KNOW IT'S NOT EASY

Caring for someone with MS has its rewards.

You are providing much needed support to someone you care about and helping them face a difficult progressive disease. But it’s challenging as well. And even though our numbers are many, there’s very little information about how being a caregiver to someone with MS affects our own wellbeing or how different solutions can make life easier.

That’s why iConquerMS Caregivers is taking the lead in expanding MS caregiver research.

We support and conduct studies for caregivers, to improve your quality of life and help you manage your responsibilities while maintaining your well-being.

CAREGIVER'S CONCERNS
& RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Caring for someone for MS is different for everyone.
But there are plenty of concerns and questions that are common to many of us.

What coping strategies work best for MS caregivers?
What helps caregivers stay resilient? What can others do to improve their own resilience?
What approaches to self-care and establishing balance are most successful?
What interventions or techniques can strengthen the MS caregiver/patient relationship?
What do caregivers think about research?
What motivators or barriers to research participation do caregivers from underrepresented groups experience?

Research can provide solutions to some of our most pressing challenges.
Studies that collect and compare data may tell us:

How can I avoid physical or emotional burnout?
What can I do to stay healthy when I’m under so much stress?
Am I asking the right questions at my loved one’s medical appointments?
How do I prepare for when the disease gets worse?
What if I’m not here to provide care?
How do I best manage our finances if my partner no longer works?
How can I maintain a normal relationship with my partner as they become more dependent on me?

JOIN NOW

The more we know about being a caregiver for someone with MS, the more we can do to improve your quality of life and overall wellbeing.

And the more caregivers contribute their knowledge and experiences to research, we’ll know better what works, what doesn’t, and for whom.