Support U

Fostering Caregiver Wellness

Support U is an innovative response to the escalating need for new ways to support one of our country's greatest social and economic assets – informal caregivers. Support U helps organizations develop services and ministries to prepare and support the well-being of the remarkable indivduals who commit tirelessly to the care of others.

Providing information and fostering self-care, the six-class Support U curriculum prepares people for the role of caregiver, raises community awareness and helps prevent caregiver isolation and burnout. While a number of caregiver education programs are available today, most focus on skill building and caring well for oters. Support U is unique in its emphasis on the health and well-being of the caregiver.

Support U Classes:

• Planning Ahead
• Finding, Creating and Using Resources
• Self-Care for the Caregiver
• Family Dynamics and Communication
• Dementia, Chronic Illness and the Family
• Financial Well-Being 

Support U is an excellent partnership tool, providing opportunities for social ministry organizations and local congregations to deepen community presence in aging services. Support U can also be easily adapted to other community businesses, including for-profit corporations seeking creative ways to support employees and their families. Support U also engages local volunteers who work witht he social ministry organizations, congregation and participants.

Support U adopting organizations receive:

• Implementation Guide, including business modeling template
• Class materials, including PowerPoint presentation and resources for each class
• Marketing materials
• One year technical assistance via membership in LSA's Caregiver Suite Peer Consortium 

Support U is an adaptation of Caregiver University, a program developed and operated by Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW) in Tacoma, WA. Acknowledgements for funding and creative development go to the ELCA Lutheran Services for the Elderly Endowment, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation, Marty Richards and Phil Edlund Consultants to LCSNW and Patricia Witt, Program Director, LCSNW.

It is part of LSA's Caregiver Suite, a portfolio of Lutheran branded models, products and programs for strengthening caregiver support resources in America's communities. Designed to be easily adopted by LSA member organizations, congregations and others, Caregiver Suite products share a common goal of extending resources and support to those who care for parents, adult children or other loved ones who are aging.