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Professional Introduction |
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Welcome to our community: couples facing challenges and choices. Welcome to a community of active spousal caregivers for chronically ill and/or disabled husbands, wives, and/or partners and those former caregivers struggling to build a new life after caregiving ends. Welcome to Well Spouse. Founded in 1988 by a group of dedicated caregiver husbands and wives, the Well Spouse Association (formerly the Well Spouse Foundation) is the only national organization dedicated to the support of spousal caregivers only. While those caring for an ill or disabled life partner face many of the same concerns and stresses faced by other family caregivers, spousal caregivers must confront many unique issues. WSA brings these caregivers together. so they can support each other. Many recent studies show us how important emotional support is to caregivers – this is especially true of spousal caregivers who in many instances become the sole financial supporter, acting single parent, and household decision maker in addition to being full time caregivers. Feelings of guilt, isolation, anger, and intimacy issues require discussions not suited to other family caregivers. Our members have asked for support programs different from those run by disease or other caregiver organizations. They have asked for non-judgmental environments where they can have open and real conversations about their issues. They have found comfort in our support groups, our on-line forums, mentor programs, letter writing groups, respite weekends and conferences. They have therapeutically expressed themselves in our quarterly newsletter, Mainstay, in our new e-newsletter The Member Minute, and in articles published locally and nationally in other media. Learn more about the work of our organization in the pages to follow. We invite your interest and/or support for WSA as we seek to expand our programs to truly marvelous but mostly unheralded men and women found in communities small and large throughout the United States, Canada and abroad. We welcome the relationship which will benefit your interests while supporting our cause! |
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WSA has a goal of one day offering memberships to spousal caregivers at no cost to them. Help us to reach ou goal by providing your support to your clients and to our mission with a Professional Membership. Highlight your product or service to our caregiver community, while supporting the only national organization to support all spousal caregivers - regardless of the illness or disability faced. To join WSA in Professional Membership, print our membership form for professionals.
Send this form to our office with your membership dues. Professional Memberships:
Individual doctors, social workers, clergy and other professional individuals are invited to join us in professional membership supporting the Well Spouse mission! A yearly fee of $50 gives you the following benefits of membership: • A listing under our professional supporters on our website, which boasts 30,000 hits a month • Inclusion of your printed materials in our new member packets • Unlimited WSA brochures and printed materials to distribute to your clients • 10% discount on additional advertising and sponsorship opportunities • The satisfaction of supporting spousal caregivers through our mission
Corporate Partnerships:
Local and national businesses and corporations are invited to join us in corporate partnerships supporting the Well Spouse mission! A yearly fee of $100 gives your company the following benefits of membership: - • A listing under our corporate partnerships on our website, which boasts 30,000 hits a month
- • Inclusion of your printed materials in our new member packets
- • Unlimited WSA brochures and printed materials to distribute to your clients
- • 20% discount on additional advertising and sponsorship opportunities
- • The satisfaction of supporting spousal caregivers through our mission
Sponsorship Opportunities:
Well Spouse runs many events during the year (please see additional items in this category for more information on each opportunity) including: • The Caregiver Journey workshop • Regional Respite Weekends • Annual WSA National Conference
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Caregiver Journey Workshop |
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Our Caregiver Journey workshop* is being presented across the country by local members and in association with professionals and organizations interested in supporting the WSA mission. Learn about the stages of the Caregiver Journey, determine the stage you are currently in and be on your way to achieving your "new normal".  
WSA's partners in bringing the Caregiver Journey workshop to the public thus far have been the National MS Society, the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, and Barry Jacobs, PsyD - author of the Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers. The workshop is based on a 1-2 hour journey through the stages or caregiving using a powerpoint presentation and personal commentary from the presenter to connect with the attendees. We then offer a panel discussion with WSA members on the specific issues facing the caregivers in attendance. The Caregiver Journey workshop can be run as a stand alone informational session suitable to any gathering or venue, or it can be combined with other speakers/presenters during a one-day Caregiver Day event. *If you would like more information on partnering with Well Spouse to bring the Caregiver Journey to your clients or local area, please contact our office. Click here to view the RWJUH Caregiver presentation flyer - the first workshop WSA participated in. Click here to view a sampling of the Caregiver Journey power point presentation. |
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