BHC recognizes the toll and the challenges these diseases present to care partners and family members. On this page, BHC provides resources devoted to help you with knowledge, support, and skills necessary to navigate this journey.

Care Partner and Loved Ones Resources

ME/CFS Crash Survival Guide

Description:
This guidebook contains information on how to assist the pw ME/CFS meet their critical needs during a crash, and also provides adaptive ways to conserve energy in everyday living with ME/CFS.

While this asset addresses ME/CFS, the content and concepts can be applied to other debilitating chronic illnesses such as FM, Long COVID, and orthostatic intolerance (OI). Access it here!

 

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ER and Urgent Care Considerations for ME/CFS

Description:
This handout provides basic advice and medical/scientific information about ME/CFS that can inform medical decisions in urgent, emergent, or hospital settings. Each page builds upon the next and has been separated for ease of review. Download it here.

 

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Believing the Loved One

Description:
Written from a therapist’s perspective, this one-page letter addresses the importance of believing and validating the loved one’s experience with chronic illness.

 

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Insights into My Chronic Illness

Description:
Written from the perspective of an individual with chronic illness to a caregiver, friend, spouse, etc. This letter provides insight into the patient experience and how you can support them. 

 

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What Does Brain Fog Feel Like?

Description:
Written from the perspective of one man with very severe ME/CFS, this blog post gives insight into what mild to severe brain fog can feel like. Please note that while this may not represent every individual’s experience, this personal account provides insight into a patient experience and why healthcare professionals, researchers, and carers need to take a person/patient-specific approach to care and support.

 

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Living With A Partner Who Has ME/CFS and FM Part 1: Husbands

Description:
Chronic illness and marriage is a complicated combination. In this recorded Education Meeting, the panelists openly and honestly speak about the challenges, hardships, blessings, and lessons learned from their perspective. This is one of our most popular videos. (March 2017)

Presented by: BHC

Living With A Partner Who Has ME/CFS and FM Part 1: Wives

Description:
Chronic illness and marriage is a complicated combination. In this recorded Education Meeting, the panelists openly and honestly speak about the challenges, hardships, blessings, and lessons learned from their perspective. (April 2017)

Presented by: BHC

Caring for People with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Description:
#MEAction has crowdsourced this advice from caregivers who care for both adults and children with ME. Gain knowledge, perspective and skills to better equip you to navigate the long, convoluted journey of this disease.

Presented by: #MEAction Network

For Caregivers

Description:
Whether you are a friend, partner, or parent to someone with ME/CFS this is a concise guide to help you on this challenging journey. This link also includes a resource guide for recommended further reading.

Presented by: AMMES

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Caregiver Action Network

Description:
This resource is the nation’s leading family caregiver organization working to improve the quality of life for the more than 90 million Americans who care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities, disease, or the frailties of old age.

Presented by: Caregiver Action Network

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Support Groups for Care Partners and Loved Ones