As the baby boomers age many Americans are finding themselves caring for their aging parents.  This can be a demanding and exhausting experience and it is important to remember to be aware of your own well-being.

The demands of family caregiving may not only effect the caregivers mental and physical health but also impact their ability to be effective in the rest of their lives.

It is important to take time for yourself. Talk with friends and family members for support and assistance caring for your loved one.

Senior Home Care Services

A  senior home care agency is another great source of support and respite care for your loved one.  Senior home care services include companionship, bathing, grooming, meal preparation and much more.  Most senior home care agencies will provide caregivers both as needed for special circumstances and on an on going basis up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you would like more information about support for family caregivers or need help with a loved one or friend you can always call us at 1-866-273-2995, visit our Senior Home Care Agency Directory, or fill out this simple online form. Get Help Now!

Jenny Kim, Client Care Manager for All Valley Home Care in La Mesa, California shares caregiver support advice for family caregivers. As a senior home care services provider Jenny specializes in providing caregiver support.

Caring for a loved one with any kind of disabling condition will change the way families and their caregivers live their lives. It may have negative effects on those family members providing long-term care. Fortunately, there are many resources and options out there for family members to help alleviate stress. In California alone, there are eleven nonprofit Caregiver Resource Centers throughout the state that serve more than 14,000 families and caregivers of adults affected by chronic health conditions. First and foremost, when you are taking care of a loved one, you need to remember to take care of your own emotional and physical health.

Caregiver Support Groups

Coping and getting caregiver support comes in many different forms. This can include talking to your family, friends, or professionals, taking walks, or reading a book. Many caregivers tend to shut out friends and family and end up feeling isolated and as if no one understands what they’re going through. In this case, caregiver support groups are very important in that you’ll find others who are in similar situations. You can connect with fellow caregivers and it will give you a chance to vent and exchange ideas. When looking for caregiver support groups, remember the 3 C’s: comfort, convenience and confidentiality. You can always check out different caregiver support groups before you decide on the one that fits your personality and lifestyle. Caregiver support groups vary in size and purpose; some are geared towards specific illnesses like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, while others may be open to anyone caring for a parent or loved one, period. A good online resource you can utilize to find different types of support groups is the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging website.

Find Respite Care

No matter how fit and strong you think you are, caregiving can and will eventually take a toll on your body and mind. Respite care will provide you with a much needed break from your daily responsibilities. Respite care can mean anything from hiring a senior home care agency to take care of your loved one within the comfort of his or her home for a couple of hours to a social adult day care. There are many places you can go with your loved one where they can participate in arts and crafts or exercise classes while you attend a support group or just sit and eat lunch with other family caregivers. You may also have the option of doing some of the activities together. An excellent example of this is Circle of Care Leeza’s Place in Sherman Oaks, CA. Anyone taking care of a loved one diagnosed with a memory disorder is welcome to come and attend free programs that will provide them with insight and respite in a comfortable, intimate setting. Some activities that take place at this center are Memory Fitness, Chair Exercises, Tai Chi, Scrapbooking, and Caregiver and Parkinson’s Support groups. These types of centers can be found all over the U.S. and will provide you with both emotional and physical support.

Family caregiving is much more common than you think and there is a lot of help out there for you. There are a vast amount of online resources you can access by using a search engine like Google or Yahoo. A caregiver who takes care of herself or himself, physically & emotionally, will ultimately be a better caregiver to a loved one.

If you would like more assistance or information you can always call us at 1-866-273-2995, visit our Senior In-Home Care Agency Directory, or fill out this simple online form. Get Help Now!

If a family member takes care of a loved one on a regular basis, but occasionally needs outside help, they can find it from a Vida Senior Resource Certified In Home Senior Care Agency.  This outside help is called respite care services, and it is designed give a break to the family member providing care for their disabled or aging loved one.  In fact respite care services are most commonly used to enable family caregivers to have a break so they can take a vacation, or even go out for a night, without worrying about their loved one being alone.  There are even senior grants available for the explicit purpose of respite care services.

I remember one case when my non-medical home care agency was able to assist a gentleman who was taking care of his mother before and after work. I had happened to meet him at the grocery store.  As we talked, I explained what I did, and he started to tell me about his mother.  Then he told me that he would be going on a cruise for 10 days the following month.  He was worried about leaving his mother alone for that period of time, since she was unable to leave the house or even make her own meals.  I told him that we would be able to help his mother while he was gone, and make sure she bathed and ate.  He said that sounded great but wondered how much it would cost him.  I responded by saying that I believed we could get his mother approved for a grant to pay for the services.

The office staff from my agency met with the gentlemen and his mother at their home, helped them fill out the senior respite grant application, and even mailed it in for them.  Within a week the family received word back from the organization providing the senior grant that not only did his mother qualify, but that she had already been approved.

The next month, the gentlemen was able to go on his cruise without worrying whether or not his mother was ok.  Our agency was able to provide Senior Home Care with no out of pocket expense for the family.  When he arrived home from vacation, the gentlemen came in to the office to tell us how much he appreciated the help we provided him, and to let us know that he would happily recommend us to anyone else who needed our services.  His mother also told us that she loved her caregiver, and she scheduled her to continue services for two days every week.

Marisol Trejo, Administrator of Above and Beyond Home Health Care in Nampa, Idaho, shares the story of helping a client and her family through the last months of her husbands life.

In February of 2007 we received a phone call from a frantic wife stating that her husband was very ill and she did not know what to do.   She explained to me her son had just got back from Iraq and had suffered a tragic leg injury; The outlook was that they were going to perform a double amputation.  She sobbed as she explained she had relied upon her son to be her strength.  We rushed to meet with her and her husband; When we arrived we found that he had been diagnosed with cancer just three days prior.

We began providing senior in home care for her husband seven days a week.  We located the most loving, patient caregiver to place in the home.  On the second week while performing a routine “Care Call” the wife asked us if it would be okay if she gave the caregiver a gift in the form of a card.  The caregiver brought the card in exemplifying the statement, “Thank you so much for being my strength over the past few days.  Also, many thanks to that nice girl who came out to help clean the mess my husband was in.”  This nice girl happened to be our fantastic human resources director.

We had introduced hospice to the husband and wife, but they both were not in any position to entertain the slightest idea of this type of care.  Throughout the months we had again approached the idea of hospice with no change.  During the fifth month we again introduced hospice and the family was receptive.  The family chose a hospice agency at the recommendation of a family member, as he had a long-standing relationship with that particular agency.

Five months had come and gone, and the husband grew weaker and weaker.  The wife had called the office to increase the number of hours for the caregiver to work.  Soon we were working 24-hour shifts.  We worked long hours with this family for three weeks when family had been called in from out of town.  As the family began to spend more time with their ill father our hours working with the family decreased (24 hours to 12 hours to 6 hours to 4 hours to 0 hours to PRN).

It was late on a Saturday night when we received a phone call the from wife.  She explained as she was crying, there was no family at the home and her husband was dying and she did not know what to do.  She was breathing heavily when she managed to ask the on-call person to contact their Hospice nurse.

At this point in time, the caregiver who had been working with this family for the past few months had gone over to the home and spent the last 12 hours with this family.  The caregiver volunteered her time to bring peace and comfort to the family.

Two weeks after the husband’s death the wife called the office trying to locate the caregiver.  She was attempting to schedule a lunch date with the caregiver.  They met and the wife had presented a plaque to the caregiver stating, “Thank you for being my strength.  Thank you for being my friend.  It was you who brought me peace when my world was coming to an end.”

For most Americans the Holidays are often spent in the comfort and company of family and friends. Many Americans will travel to see their aging loved ones, unfortunately they may find that mom and dad aren’t doing as well as they were last year.

It is understandable how stressful visiting your aging family member can be when their health is not at its best or they are not taking care of themselves. However, this can also be an opportunity to get an understanding of what issues your loved one may be having and plan an appropriate course of action.

The first thing your need to do is look for the warning signs that there may be a problem. You may notice that your loved one is wearing dirty clothes and their personal hygiene may be suffering. The smell of urine throughout the house, on the furniture or in the bedroom would be suggestive of an incontinence problem. Aside from being an unpleasant smell this can lead to more serious issues, such as a Urinary Tract Infection.

Other environmental signs that your senior may be having problems include: unused or old rotting food in the fridge, mail stacking up and bills going unpaid.

Your loved one may also show signs of physical health problems. If they seem to becoming frail or thin there maybe an issue with nutrition. Swollen joints, bumps and bruises can suggest they have been falling.

A noticeable disconnection from social outlets such as, not going to church, failing to attend community groups, not calling friends and family, or complaints of loneliness and depression are all indicators that your loved one maybe failing to thrive independently.

Once you have established there is indeed a problem with you senior loved one you need to take note of all the issues. Determine exactly what the problems are and what solutions are available. These solutions can include finding nearby friends and family to provide assistance and check up on them, having a senior in home care agency provide a caregiver or personal care assistant, or it may be time to consider facility based care.

If your loved one is concerned about losing their independence as a result of having in home care explain to them that in Home Care is a means to regaining independence and staying in their home.

This information was gathered with the help of our network of Certified Senior Home Care Agencies and Assisted Living Facility partners. Remember you can always call us for advice and help anytime at 1-866-273-2995.