Caregiving and Elder Care
Being a caregiver is a huge responsibility. It is a mammoth task with profound commitment and there is also the reward of doing something loving and compassionate for a family member or individual who needs the care. Caregivers also need to be taken care of. Family members make up the largest cadre of caregivers to an aging population and those who need long-term care.Â
Because the responsibilities of caring for the elderly are immeasurable financially, emotionally and physically, caregivers need to know and rely on resources available to help them help the person they are caring for.
As people are living longer, baby boomers are probably the first generation of children who are retired and have to provide care for their aging, retired parents.
They provide care for daily living activities-bathing, feeding, dressing and financial matters. They also provide companionship to their parents.
The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) through the U. S. Administration on Aging (AOA) provide grants to states and territories to fund services to help families and other caregivers provide care for their family members at home for as long as feasible.
These programs provide tremendous resources and help take away some of the stress and feelings of isolation often experienced by caregivers. By taking care of the caregiver, elderly family members are able to stay in familiar surroundings longer and family members are able to either avoid or prolong the expense of external care organizations. Below are some links to services for caregivers of the elderly.
• http://www.alz.org/carefinder Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s.
• http://www.medicare.gov/campaigns/caregiver/caregiver-resource-kit.html Healthcare Decisions
• http://www.caregiving.org/ Publications and Resources for Caregivers
• http://www.caregiver.org National, state, local programs supporting caregivers
• http://chtop.org/ARCH/National-Respite-Locator.html#elderly Respite services
The Elder Care Locator through the National Family Caregiver Support Program also recommends publications to help the caregiver. An entire listing can be found on the website at http://www.eldercare.gov/eldercare.net/public/resources/topic/Caregiver.aspx.
P. S. Always Remember to Share What You Know.
