November is Family Caregivers Month, and to celebrate the dedication and sacrifice of caregivers everywhere, we offer you a new ALA Academy Live webinar: Mission Delivery through Caregiver Support. 
 
In this 30-minute course, participants will learn more about caregivers as we explore American Legion Auxiliary National President Kathy Daudistel’s focus on caring for those who care for others. 
 
Mission Delivery through Caregiver Support
Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 8 p.m. ET 
 
Here’s a snapshot view of what participants will learn in this webinar: 
 
• Identify caregivers in your community, as well as learn to self-identify 
• About other organizations that operate in the field of caregiver support
• How to incorporate caregiver-centric ideas and activities into your unit’s volunteering “menu” 
 
“There are caregivers among us, and we just want them to know that even if you don’t identify as such — but if you are taking care of a spouse, child, family member — we recognize you and support you,” Daudistel said. 
 
It took a few different personal experiences combined to help Daudistel realize an emphasis on caregivers was the direction she wanted to take for the 2021-2022 ALA administrative year. Read more here about why she chose that focus.  
 
For the Nov. 9 webinar, Daudistel and Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Committee National Chairman Lisa Williamson will be presenters.
 
Williamson is a caregiver for her husband, who has eyesight issues.
 
Any member is welcome to participate in the webinar. The discussion is geared toward those who are currently caregivers or who might be a caregiver in the future. This includes older children. 
 
Through sharing resources, both presenters hope members leave the webinar feeling empowered with knowledge of all that’s available to them.
 
“I hope members learn there are organizations in place that we can collaborate with that can help,” Williamson said. “We don’t have to recreate the wheel. We can work with other organizations or The American Legion Family to help out. It’s not as daunting if our caregivers knew there were others like them out there.” 
 
In addition to external resources, Williamson encourages ALA members to request to join the ALA's Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Facebook group — a great forum for caregivers to share ideas, challenges, and other helpful information. 
 
In addition to discussing key takeaways in the caregivers webinar, Daudistel hopes members learn a simple, yet significant point from the course.
 
“Caregivers aren’t in it alone, and it’s OK to ask for help.”

Register today for this FREE webinar.
 
By Sara Fowler, Staff Writer