Leadership, Community And Values Initiative
WORK/LIFE
Finding Support Among Peers for Life's Challenges
Diane Hanks, an Assistant Director in the Office of Business Services and Veterans’ Affairs, discusses the benefits of being an active participant in the Caregivers Network.
The Caregivers Network, offered to the campus community by UW WorkLife, is a monthly gathering for anyone facing issues involved in caring for family members or friends. The informal sessions, facilitated by a WorkLife social worker, provide opportunities to seek advice, hear from others who are seeking better ways of dealing with caregiving, and come away with new tools and a sense of being heard.
The Caregivers Network has been a lifeline for me. I have met wonderful, selfless, everyday people who are carrying around amazing burdens. Caregiving (even from a distance) creates all kinds of worries that are not always easy to leave off-campus. I come away from the Caregivers Network sessions with a renewed sense of hope, energy, and greater respect for my caregiving peers. Knowing that I have options, fresh ideas and support can stop the spiral of worry -- which then enables me to re-focus on the workday at hand.
Often, just knowing that someone else has walked in your shoes makes all the difference in gaining renewed energy to carry on.
