Caregivers Find Support and Connection at Winter Sports Clinic

By Donna J. Bell

Office of Integrated Veterans Care Communications Director 

At this year’s National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, a new initiative is shining a long-overdue spotlight on a group often overlooked: caregivers. For the first time, the clinic launched a dedicated caregiver support program to offer connection, education, and emotional support to those who stand beside disabled veterans on their recovery journey. 

VA Caregiver Support Coordinator Grace Danborn, of the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, helped organize the WSC caregiver support, along with her co-worker Brenda Gust, emphasized the importance of the new initiative. 

“It’s good for caregivers to know you aren’t alone with your emotions and thoughts,” she said. “There are resources to share. The more that you know, the better off you are.” 

A joint effort of VA and DAV, the goal for Winter Sports Clinic caregivers is to create a space where they can connect, be introduced to resources and practical advice and support one another through acknowledging challenges, anticipating needs, and problem-solving together. 

Gust echoed Danborn’s sentiments. “There’s a lot of invisibility in being a caregiver,” she said. “We want caregivers to be seen, appreciated, and to know they’re not alone. There’s nothing more powerful than being surrounded by peers—best practices can be shared and stories can inspire.” Gust also said that, since this was the first year for the program at WSC they were hoping to hear directly from caregivers about what they need and would like to see in future years. 

At one listening session, a caregiver shared how powerful it was to be able to talk to other spouses and parents. “From a mental health perspective, just knowing I’m not alone in this journey is so helpful,” she said. “I had no idea how integral I was to my Veteran’s recovery.” 

Stacy Greathouse, whose husband, Adam, is an Army Veteran, reflected on how much things have changed since her husband became disabled. 

“Back then I was just trying to gather resources,” she said. “Now we can help each other. We all want the person I love to thrive past their limits—and Winter Sports Clinic, through recreational therapy, helps with that. For me, this group fills a void and builds connections.”

Ione McCarthy said connecting with the group opened her eyes. Her husband, Jay, a Navy Veteran, was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s, so she is new to caregiving and grateful for the guidance. “I want to understand what my role is going to be,” she said. “I know my journey is just beginning and I want to learn from others.” 

McCarthy was grateful to have connected with Colleen Costa, whose husband, Andrew, was diagnosed with dementia five years previously. “This is the first time in a long time I’ve felt appreciated,” Costa said. “The emotional toll is real.” 

DAV National Voluntary Services Director John Kleindienst acknowledged that while introducing the caregiver support program was a step forward, there’s still work to be done.

“This support at Winter Sports Clinic is long overdue. The sacrifices of our Veterans are also the sacrifices of their caregivers. Their stories matter. We need to support them, give back, and create bigger events with greater visibility. There are 43 million caregivers in this country—we want them all to know: you are seen and your voice matters.”