Peer support groups give strength to family caregivers
The Finnish Red Cross support activities provide family caregivers with peer support and volunteer friends to give them the strength to cope with their everyday lives. Being part of a community provides a sense of security.
The volunteers of the Finnish Red Cross support family caregivers in their daily lives through means such as friend activities. In addition to friend activities, volunteers also organise group meetings for family caregivers to meet other people in similar situations in life.
Peer support groups led by the volunteers of the Finnish Red Cross are important to family caregivers: Of the family caregivers who take part in Red Cross activities and responded to a survey in the autumn of 2023, almost all of them strongly or partly agreed that they belong to a group or community that is important to them.
More than half of the respondents strongly agreed that they feel they are needed by other people and that their lives have a purpose. Almost half of the respondents felt strongly that their daily activities are meaningful.
“I think it is wonderful that family caregivers feel so strongly that their work is meaningful and important. I find it particularly encouraging that so many of them feel a sense of belonging to a group that is important to them. Community provides a sense of security – this is also the theme of this year’s Carers’ Week,” says Planning Officer for Social Well-Being Elisa Vesterinen from the Finnish Red Cross.
Volunteer friends support family caregivers to cope
Visits from volunteer friends of the Finnish Red Cross offer family caregivers a much-needed break from their daily lives and cheer them up in the midst of repetitive care routines. Being part of a peer support group also helps them to cope and increases their sense of hope.
“Many family caregivers lead extremely stressful lives. The social contact and moment of relaxation that a volunteer provides increases their resilience and well-being, even in demanding situations,” Vesterinen says.
The Finnish Red Cross supports family caregivers through volunteer activities. Every day, the volunteer friends of the Finnish Red Cross work to help people and promote humanity.
Anyone can become a volunteer – no special skills are required. You can join by completing the basic course for volunteer friends:Search for a basic course on friend activities.
The national Carers’ Week will be celebrated in Finland from 26 November to 3 December 2023 with the theme ‘Community provides a sense of security.’