Happy New Year! We hope 2022 is starting off well for you with a breath of fresh air as we can all be re-energized.

Caregivers are an integral part in the support and recovery of stroke survivors. At Austin Speech Labs, we want to be able to support our caregivers as much as possible. We want to introduce a new segment on our website: Marcy’s Corner on our Caregiver Support page!

Marcy Thomas is our Caregiver Liaison. She helps others discover helpful resources, tips, and navigate through their own journeys of taking care of their loved ones. Marcy’s Corner is where we share her helpful monthly updates to other caregivers. If you head over to Marcy’s Corner now, you will find her January Updates posted. The segment will be updated every month as Marcy discovers and provides different resources throughout the year.

Get to know Marcy!

Marcy grew up in Waco. She married Jeff Thomas and moved to Hawaii where they adopted and raised 3 children. They later returned to Austin after Jeff suffered a massive stroke. Marcy was a huge advocate for Jeff and did everything possible to help him get the care he needed. Marcy is also an incredibly enduring and inspirational 3-time breast cancer survivor. Both Marcy and Jeff are advocates for screenings and healthcare and the need to listen to your body and take care of yourself.

Marcy is a hard core researcher. She has always wanted what was best for Jeff and his recovery and she has spent hours and hours seeking treatments, activities, social groups, financial tips, you name it- she knows about it. She also loves sharing her knowledge with others. We were so thankful when she was willing to help run our caregiver support group. Pre-pandemic she led a monthly support group meeting in the office. Since then, she has moved to Waco. She host virtual meetings throughout the year and also sends out monthly newsletters with great resources for our clients and their families.

To help caregivers and readers find previous resources, this blog page is where we house all of the archived content from the page as it is being updated in real-time.

January Updates

1. Prescription Medication Discount

   These websites help you search for discounts on your medication. Use GoodRx and CostPlusDrugs to help you find the lowest prices for your medications! Click on these links to get started:
   https://www.goodrx.com/
   https://costplusdrugs.com/
   
   

2. Tax Benefits for Caregivers

   Through the 2025 tax year, the IRS allows family caregivers to claim some individuals related by adoption, blood or marriage — and even some friends — as “other dependents” on their federal tax return and receive up to $500 in “Credit for Other Dependents”, as long as both parties meet requirements of legal residency, income, dependence, and living arrangements.

   To find out more specifics and see if you qualify, check out this article: https://tinyurl.com/caregiverstaxbenefits
   
   

3. Hope Heals Camp

   Hope Heals Camp just opened its camper applications for the summer. It is one week for families with disabilities in Alabama. Some families at Austin Speech Labs have attended in the past. Marcy and her husband, Jeff, have attended for the past 4 years. Contact Marcy if you have any questions or just want to know more about the program!
   
   

4. Conversations about Emotional Well-being

   Marcy discovered a musical platform that helps caregivers communicate with their children and loved ones about tough subjects, like anger, loss, racism, and more: https://sounditouttogether.org/