LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Caregivers in Kentucky received much-needed support through a wellness workshop held at the C.M. Gatton Beaumont YMCA on Tuesday.
The free workshop at the YMCA focused on addressing the physical and emotional toll that caregiving takes on individuals, beyond just the financial impact.
According to a 2023 report from AARP, 61% of family caregivers across the country also work full or part time. Kentucky alone has 610,000 caregivers. These are individuals devoted to their children, parents, or those with long-term illness or special needs.
"In a caregiving situation, you get so wrapped up in their needs that you forget yourself," said Patricia Blackburn.
Blackburn cared for her mother until she passed away. She attended the workshop alongside Jessica Lipkit, who leads youth and family engagement at the YMCA.
"I came here to learn strategies to deal with the stress and learn how to help me help the kids so we can all be in the best environment possible," Lipkit said.
The workshop was led by Julie Breitigan, executive director of Life Adventure Center, who offered tips and techniques to combat the negative side of caregiving.
"I have a long background in teaching stress wellness, I've also been in the caregiving profession for 20 years, so I've seen what compassion fatigue can look like and what it can do to professionals and people personally," Breitigan said.
Compassion fatigue can manifest as exhaustion, excessive worrying, irritability or feeling numb. Breitigan's workshop helped participants understand how to avoid the fatigue and keep compassion sustainable.
"I think that you can't give if you've not got it yourself," said Blackburn. "So it helps us to remind ourselves that we have to take care for ourselves first. It's like flying on an airplane, you put the oxygen on yourself first before you put it on a child."
