Here on another forum in our Next Chapter series.

This one focused on the aging population, this one all for caregivers and the resources and support that they may need.

Laura Rogers spoke with a family caregiver in Bowling Green who's sharing her personal experience.

Technically, I was a caregiver for about ten years.

Acacia Townsend Eaton lended that care to her mother, Angela, a former educator and activist.

Husband and I moved from the DC area back to Kentucky, and she was initially what she called a pop in caregiver.

But as her mother's mobility worsened, a keisha's role became more involved, pushing her from place to place, taking her to doctor's appointments, helping her with grocery shopping.

It would eventually lead to around the clock in-home care until her mother's passing this past March.

For me, it was kind of, you know, the transition between my mom having very limited mobility to becoming completely bedbound.

She acknowledges caregiving comes with challenges.

She says it is also rewarding.

Being a caregiver is a tremendous gift, a gift that is intergenerational and a family.

My mom was a caregiver.

She was a caregiver for my grandmother until she passed away.

Acacia is of the millennial generation.

It is estimated 1 in 4 millennials are caregivers.

Probably going to be the fastest growing population of of caregivers as our parents age.

And we're dealing with things like student loans and financial planning for our own future.

A lot of us don't have the retirement pensions that our parents had.

Who holds a law degree from Georgetown University, took online nurse aid courses to become better equipped at providing her mother's care.

And I want people to know that it is possible.

It can be possible to care for your loved one, if that's what you decide, and if that's what your loved one decides at all stages in the home with the right support.

She found support networks like Empowering Appalachia cohort, a program that offers peer support and advocacy training.

It focuses on the needs of caregivers and ways to support caregivers and our Appalachian region.

She also sought out doctors who offered telemedicine and house calls, and she suggests planning for these decisions before they're imminent.

It's never too early to have a conversation with your parent about what their wishes for long term care would be.

She was able to maintain remote work, but says employment and financial strain can also be an issue for caregivers.

Taking care of yourself financially and anticipating your needs.

Does my employer offer family leave?

And if they don't, are they otherwise supportive?

Acacia also found joy and caring for her mother and her last years of life.

There is nothing I would change about this whole experience.

I would do it all over again.

Being able to be in touch with my family history.

I learned so much about her life growing up and she loved to share that and just having those those moments together that you'll never forget.

There are so special for Kentucky Edition.

I'm Laura Rogers.