Military caregiver program offers peer-to-peer connections, support

  • Published
  • By Jessica Casserly
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  The Airman and Family Readiness Center here recently launched a program geared toward supporting and providing resources for military caregivers at Hanscom. 

Called the Peer-to-Peer Support for Caregivers of Recovering Service Members program, it is part of a Department of Defense-wide initiative to offer encouragement and resources to individuals caring for America's veterans.

Hanscom's caregiver program is open to anyone who provides care to a U.S. service member healing from physical or mental health wounds suffered while serving their country.

"If you are a caregiver you are welcome to attend," said Bobbie Kendall, a Recovery Care Coordinator with the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program at Hanscom. "We welcome all caregivers, including girlfriends or boyfriends, fiancés, spouses and parents."

According to the DOD's Caregiver Peer Forum Initiative, of the estimated 5.5 million military caregivers in the U.S., 1.1 million are caring for post-9/11 veterans. Kendall and others in her field recognized that these younger caregivers often felt their needs were not being met through traditional resources. By basing their program on the "real-life" experience of participants, developers of the initiative were able to create a relatable, more effective resource.

The diversity encouraged through Hanscom's program is one of the things that attracted its first member, caregiver Rebecca Jennings.

"A lot of the caregiver programs in Massachusetts are focused on individuals taking care of older veteran service members and they just weren't the right fit for younger caregivers like me," Jennings said.

Programs, like the one at Hanscom, began forming at military installations after the initiative was announced by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden in April 2014. The goal is to establish caregiver programs at every military installation by June 2015 and develop online tools and webinars for those individuals unable to attend meetings in-person.

The overarching goal of all installation programs is to create a comfortable environment where participants feel safe sharing personal stories and struggles. To help foster a safe sharing environment, peer-to-peer meetings are open only to caregivers and the program's Military Family Life Consultant facilitator.

"Nobody knows what it is like to be a caregiver unless you're going through it," said Kendall. "Having someone who understands and can validate their experiences is rare."

Though the Hanscom program is still in the developmental phase, Jennings is anxious to start establishing those invaluable connections with others caring for a veteran.

"I would love to be able to connect with other caregivers, because I know they're out there," she said. "I want to be able to connect with others who are going through the same process; to get feedback and support each other and to give each other ideas to stay organized and find resources."

Creating a supportive, collaborative environment is something Kendall and others involved with the program are working toward.

"A year from now, I hope to see the program thriving with a solid community of caregivers and even expanding with the caregivers giving us tour requests to visit medical or other resource facilities and guest speaker requests that we can support," Kendall said.

Caregivers interested in becoming a part of the Peer-to-Peer Support for Caregivers of Recovering Service Members program are welcome to attend the monthly meetings, held the second Tuesday of every month at 1 p.m. at the Community Support Center, Building 1217. For additional information, contact Kendall at 781-225-2757.