If you are reading this, the odds are good that you are a soldier in the caregivers army, more than 60 million strong, the volunteering group of Americans who care for others, for parents, for spouses, for children, for other relatives, for friends. You do it for love, for friendship, for devotion, not for money. You may provide caregiving in your home, or travel thousands of miles to make sure a loved one is safe, secure, and well fed.
The job is not an easy one, and here at HelpwithAging.com, we want to give you some tools that may make your task easier.
Here are resources for caregivers:
AARP Caregiving Resource Center
————————————-
Alzheimer’s Assn
——————————————
——————————————–
Elder Care Locator, a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging connecting you to services for older adults and their families.You can also reach us at 1-800-677-1116.
——————————————-
Family Caregiver Alliance “supports and sustains the important work of families nationwide caring for loved ones with chronic, disabling health conditions.”
Long-term care ombudsmen are advocates for residents of nursing homes, board and care homes and assisted living facilities. Ombudsmen provide information about how to find a facility and what to do to get quality care. They are trained to resolve problems. If you want, the ombudsman can assist you with complaints. However, unless you give the ombudsman permission to share your concerns, these matters are kept confidential. Under the federal Older Americans Act, every state is required to have an Ombudsman Program that addresses complaints and advocates for improvements in the long-term care system.
Find an ombudsman in your state
———————————————
Federal Government USA
Find a nursing home, assisted living, or hospice; check your eligibility for benefits; get resources for long-distance caregiving; review legal issues; and find support for caregivers.
———————————————–
Leading Age, the trade association for non-profit nursing homes and agencies
——————————————————-
National Alliance for Caregiving
“Roughly 66 million unpaid caregivers form the backbone of the US chronic and long-term care system. These hard working family members provide care to injured veterans, aging adults, children with special needs, and individuals with chronic medical needs. Currently, 72% of caregivers take care of someone 50 or older. As the Baby Boomer generation ages, the number of people who need care will continue to swell.
If you have more suggestions for useful resource, drop a line to bob@helpwithaging.org
You could not be more correct when you say that hospice workers don’t do the job for the money; we do it for the reward of helping our patients make a peaceful transition through the end of their lives. I found your blog today and just subscribed. Are you still writing new posts?
Thanks for your note.