Caregivers also need care,” says Bhavna Issar, who looks after her father and is the founder of Caregiver Saathi, an online support group and community ecosystem for all family caregivers. In an age where food and fashion influencers have become the face of content creation, the trend of carefluencing is gaining ground to turn tables for those who are nurses or guardians to family members and patients. Carer and nurses document their experiences of looking after their wards, and share professional tips and experiences, breaking the traditional definition of professional nurturers.
“Social media is really the only way a lot of these people can access support, education, and a sense of belonging,” says Francesca Falzaran, an assistant professor at the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, who coined the term “carefluencers” in an interview with the New York Times this year. In India, caregiving and nursing are often bracketed under professional and familial responsibilities, undermining the roles. Carefluencing is gently nudging a shift in this mindset.
“The mindset of doctors being the only saviours is gradually changing,” says Dr Ashok Sharma, a registered nurse and founder of Nursing Champs (an institute that trains nurses and care providers). ADVERTISEMENT It has helped many carers and nurses find the strength and resources to fight daily battles. “As an Indo-American,” says Usha Tewari, whose late mother suffered from deme.
