 Family Caregivers
Support & Resources
Caregiver resources are usually available in your state.
This page will
give you
the links for family caregiver resources and support.
Caregiver support services includes providing caregiver
information and
assistance, education, training, caregiver support
groups and caregiver respite care. With
these resources and support, nursing home
placement of care recipients can be delayed.
A caregiver can be anyone of the following:
- Seniors taking care of
their spouses;
- Children or grandchildren taking care of their
parents or grandparents;
- Neighbors or friends taking care of an
older adult;
- Grandparents taking care of grandchildren, acting as the sole
caregiver; and
- Relatives who are caregivers of children not more than eighteen
years.
Family care-giving is very common, especially among baby boomers
whose parents are beginning to experience chronic health problems.
A caregiver's job usually includes helping perform the following
duties: dressing
or bath, take the older person to medical appointments
or shopping, help with paying bills or managing the checkbook and
more.
Although there is satisfaction in caring for a loved on in need,
it can be mentally and physically draining. Caregivers may also be
balancing a job or other child care needs.
With the formation of the National Family Caregiver
Support Program, you can find Family Caregiver
Support Programs in your state. The Family Caregiver
Support Programs are usually
run by the
state's
department on aging with the Area Agency on
Aging and local community-service providers. Caregiver Support Programs usually provide the some basic
services including:.
- Providing information to family caregivers about available services;
- Providing assistance to family caregivers in gaining access
to services;
- Guiding family caregivers to individual counseling, support groups
or caregiver training;
- Guiding family caregivers to respite
care. Respite care temporarily relieves caregivers for
their duties;
- Providing supplemental services on a limited
basis, to complement the care provided by family caregivers.
Most department of aging in each state offer
respite services to caregivers of frail elders
and those stricken with Alzheimer's disease and related
dementia. Programs are intended to provide family
caregivers a much-needed break and increase their ability
to continue to care
for a homebound elder
without becoming ill themselves.
Some of the caregiver respite programs may use volunteers who receive
training. Volunteers may provide companionship
to a frail, homebound elder. Activities may include
conversation, reading together,
playing
board games, or perhaps preparing a light snack.
You may also benefit from Adult
Day Care Services that offer temporary breaks from caregiver activities.
If the person is age 60 or older, contact the Area Agency
on Aging in your area for more information about Respite Care Programs or
Adult Day Care Services.
If the person is disabled, contact the Center
for Independent Living in your area for more information
about Respite Care or Adult Day Care Services.
Connecting with other caregivers can help prevent isolation
and encourage good mental and physical health. The Alzheimer's
Caregiver Support Online (http://www.alzonline.net)
website provides specific
resources and tools to help caregivers care for their loved
ones. Caregiver issues include: stress,
depression, bathing, dressing, grooming, elder
law, general information, medicaid, medication, preparing for
the future, driving, and more.
Are You Thinking Of Becoming A Caregiver?
If you are age interested in being a caregiver for older persons, contact the
Area Agency on Aging in your area for more information.
If you are interested in being a caregiver for persons with disabilities, contact
the Center for Independent
Living in your area for more information.
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