It’s not easy to care for an elderly relative but millions of family caregivers across America do it every day with love and compassion. However, these responsibilities can be overwhelming, frustrating and lonely with relatively little support. That’s why November is designated as National Family Caregivers Month—to give communities, medical facilities, senior organizations and more a chance to honor the service of family caregivers and provide resources for them to succeed.
Here are 5 important things about National Family Caregivers Month that can help family caregivers take better care of their aging relatives as well as themselves:
1. Recognition
Family caregivers do their work without pay and often without recognition. It can be very validating to get that support from others about how hard they work and how well they are taking care of their aging relative.
2. Education
Many family caregivers start out taking care of small things for their elderly relative, and before they know it, they are handling many daily tasks on their own. With no formal training or guidance, they often lack vital information on what they need to do to keep their loved one safe and healthy. They’ll provide better care once they have access to the information they need to know, such as financial, medical, safety and mental health issues.
3. Resources
Family caregivers often don’t know about all the resources available to people in their situation, from financial advice and medical details to state and local senior organizations. When they can plug into all the available groups that are designed to help seniors and family caregivers, they and their loved one are much better off.
4. Support
Family caregivers may not be familiar with their options for getting support via in-home care. Home care providers are professionals that help seniors who need assistance with daily care tasks, such as bathing, dressing, laundry, housekeeping, and meal preparation. Home care providers can also be companions for seniors who would otherwise be left alone.
5. Respite
Caregiver burnout is real, and it happens when family members don’t get respite from the stresses of their duties. Once they are aware of different options for respite care available to them, family caregivers can plan, so they have time to spend on their own physical and mental health.
National Family Caregivers Month provides family caregivers with a vast array of resources, so they can successfully care for their elderly loved one and maintain the balance they need in their own life. If they have a situation that they don’t know how to handle, face new challenges and tackle issues that are important to seniors, family caregivers will know where to go for answers.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Health Care in Morgan Hill, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
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