National Family Caregivers Month: Getting the Help You Need

By BEN ADEL | Special to the Palisadian-Post

November marks National Family Caregivers Month when we recognize and honor family caregivers across the country.

Caregiver Action Network is the nonprofit group that heads the national observance. Their main goals are to “raise awareness of family caregiver issues, celebrate the efforts of family caregivers and educate family caregivers about self-identification.”

Professional home care companies recognize this difficult role and continue to offer support for those families ready to initiate additional help.

Family Members Taking on the Challenging Role of Caregivers

Many family members are the primary caretaker for older adults. According to Family Caregiver Alliance, there are more than “40 million caregivers across the country who support aging parents, ill spouses or other loved ones with disabilities who remain at home.”

Mental Health America stated “there are over 53 million Americans who are unpaid caregivers to family, friends and neighbors. Twenty-seven percent, or nearly a third, of adult caregivers are helping someone with a mental illness.”

The need for caregivers continues to grow as the population of Americans age. In the next 40 years, “the number of Americans ages 65 and older will more than double,” according to Urban Institute.

Adult Children are Caring for Parents

Right now, almost half of family caregivers are adult children caring for their aging parents. The reasons for being a family caregiver varies from case to case, but one thing is for certain: It is truly a labor of love.

“These everyday heroes, living quietly among us in families and communities across the country, are the major source of long-term care in America,” President Bill Clinton said in his 2000 proclamation of National Family Caregivers Month. “By providing billions of dollars’ worth of caregiving services each year, they dramatically reduce the demands on our nation’s health care system and make an extraordinary contribution to the quality of life of their loved ones.”

The Burden of the Caregiver Role

Caring for an aging loved one often comes with doctor appointments, in-home care appointments and prescriptions to be filled—not to mention the daily ins and outs of life, like cooking, cleaning and helping with personal hygiene of a loved one. It is a difficult task in the best of circumstances.

Those caring for a loved one are providing 24-hour care in the home, which can be overwhelming and stressful for the caregiver. Many caregivers have had to learn how to juggle their paid working life with their home life; meaning often times, caregiving comes with a high emotional, physical and financial toll. Half of all caregivers are over age 50 and their own health is vulnerable as well.

According to Family Caregiver Alliance, the challenges and strains of being a caregiver can lead to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and even alcohol or drug addiction. According to AARP, almost one in 10 caregivers said they had no one to talk to about private matters, and one in five said they had no one to call for help, leading to feelings of isolation.

No one should have to bear this burden alone.

Home Care Support: Creating a Team for the Caregiver Role

There often comes a time when families need trusted, vetted professionals to step in and help with the caregiving process. It frees up the family interactions to become more social and less task oriented. A reputable home care agency will provide the following invaluable services:

• Companionship
• Light housekeeping
• Medication reminders
• Bathing
• Grocery shopping
• Meal preparation and feeding

In addition to home care services, home health services provide medical treatments at home like physical therapy, occupational therapy and more. Additional services like senior transportation, dementia care and respite care are also available.

Honoring Family Caregivers by Providing the Help Families Need

National Family Caregivers Month shines an important light on the job of the caregiver. One of our top supportive roles is to help those family members maintain their own physical and mental wellbeing.

This month, honor the family caregiver you know by acknowledging their hard work and showing you care. And it might just be time to consider another way to honor the entire family: by incorporating the help of a professional team of caregivers.

Ben Adel is founder of Luxe Homecare, a Pacific Palisades-based homecare and home health agency with caregivers in Los Angeles, Orange County and Riverside. They offer round-the-clock support, including registered nurses (RN and LVN), long-term care management and more. Background checks are required for all staff to give you and your loved ones the peace of mind you deserve. Contact the Luxe team at 310-459-3535 or visit luxehomecare.com.