Community Corner

Local Parents to Share Stories of Raising Autistic Children

United Way of Northern New Jersey Caregivers Coalition featuring presentations at April meetings.

Two mothers will share the strategies they honed over the past 20 years for advocating for their now-adult sons with autism as well as how they handle their roles and responsibilities as caregivers during United Way of Northern New Jersey Caregivers Coalition meetings in April.

The topics of the Coalition meetings in Morris and Somerset counties are centered on caregiving for those with autism in honor of Autism Awareness Month. Caregivers across the life spectrum, from a parent caring for a child with disabilities to a child caring for an aging parent, are invited to attend the meeting to benefit from the insights and experiences of fellow caregivers and experts in the field.

The following are the April presentations:

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  • April 11: Cathy Douma, of Morris Township, will talk about the joys and challenges of raising a child in the autism spectrum and her fears for his future as she ages. She will share information about her recent efforts to get her now-adult son into housing for adults with developmental disabilities. Time: 9:30 -11a.m. Where: Ukrainian American Cultural Center, 60 North Jefferson Road, Whippany.
  • April 12: Kate Nordstrom of Green Brook, will speak about how she and her husband are raising a family of five children, including a 19-year-old son with autism, while also working full-time. Nordstrom will talk about the importance of not making her oldest son the center of their lives and trying to make time for herself, and her spouse as well as her family.  Time: 9:30- 11a.m. Where: Shimon & Sara Birnbaum JCC, 775 Talamini Road, Bridgewater. 

The first United Way Caregiver Coalition was formed seven years ago in Morris County in recognition of the growing public health crisis around the issue of unpaid family caregiving. The Coalition brought together medical professionals, social service agencies, businesses, and other community groups to support unpaid family caregivers.

An estimated 65.7 million Americans are unpaid family caregivers, with 1.1 million in New Jersey according to the National Alliance for Caregiving and Caregivers of New Jersey.  On a national basis, the value of the care provided at home by caregivers is an estimated $450 billion each year, based on an AARP study.

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Last year, in recognition of the growing number of caregivers across the northern New Jersey region, United Way launched new coalitions in Somerset and North Essex counties. This year, United Way is expanding further, with coalitions forming in Sussex and Warren counties

For more information about United Way Caregivers Coalitions, visit www.UnitedWayNNJ.org 

 


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