Friday Five: Planning and Support for Family Caregivers

The Friday Five is our weekly roundup of links to smart articles and helpful resources across the Web.

1. Plenty of discussion around family caregivers revolves around the stress they carry, the difficulty of balancing caring for yourself, for a loved one, family members, and for many, work too. This week, Paula Span writes in the New York Times' New Old Age blog about a new study that discovered Caregiving's Hidden Benefits.

2. I think it's always important to remind people about the importance of advance directives. If a medical crisis occurs, or a health condition impedes your ability to communicate, help your loved ones in making the tough decisions. Spell out your wishes for them in an advance directive document like the Five Wishes, an easy to fill out form written in layman's terms.

3. For those new to caregiving, this helpful tip sheet from Medicare offers suggestions and resources on How You Can Plan for the Future.

4. A new monthly edition of our e-newsletter was released this week. The articles offer handy tips for family caregivers.

5. Are you a family caregiver with children? It's important to take note of the impact family caregiving can have on children and teens. This article from Aging Today discusses how children and teens sometimes have to step into an adult role, and the support through the American Association of Caregiving Youth.