FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — During the coronavirus pandemic, Tennessee Adult Brothers and Sisters (TABS) grew to support more siblings of those with disabilities than ever before with monthly Zoom meetings.
During those meetings, the siblings discuss topics such as healthy family communication, setting boundaries, self-care, caregiving stress as well as products and services.
The organization's Tennessee chapter began in 2007 with in-person meetings, however, those were difficult for many to attend because they are the caretaker for their sibling with a disability.
"Siblings are sometimes referred to as the club sandwich generation because we can be in our 30s and 40s and 50s providing support not only to our own children and our brothers and sisters with disabilities, and our aging parents or in-laws," explained TABS leader Emma Shouse.
Shouse is also the sister to a 27-year-old brother who has autism and intellectual disabilities.
"Being a sibling to someone with a disability has a lifelong impact," she explained. "It could impact our decisions about where we go to college and what our careers will be our partners and whether or not we have kids. It can be kind of an isolating experience."
Shouse remembers some of the isolating feelings she had as a teenager.
"I remember in my teen years, having a lot of anxiety and a lot of worry about what if something was to happen to my parents. What do I need to step in and provide care to Evan?" recalled Shouse. "Really, as I was making my own decisions about where to go to college and dating and marriage, thinking, ‘Will Evan need to live with me and will I be able to still work if he doesn't, if we're not able to get connected to supports and programs that can provide care for him?’"
Siblings told NewsChannel 5 there are very few decisions in their lives in which they do not consider their sibling first and that stress over time can pile up.
"There's a lot of organizations and networks dedicated to parents of people with disabilities. And obviously, there's lots of programs for people with disabilities but sometimes it's tricky to connect and find the siblings," Shouse explained.
She found TABS in 2007 and in 2012 started leading the group.
"Especially during the pandemic, we were hearing from a lot of siblings that they really needed some, some support and they were hungry for connecting to people going through similar life experiences," she said.
The group meets monthly over Zoom to share about their family challenges and to remind each other they are not alone.
To learn more about TABS and to sign up to participate, visit its website.
To follow what TABS is up to, check out its Facebook page.
