Picture it, an elderly man in a patient exam room following a physical. He is accompanied by his daughter, who has entered the room to hear about her father’s health conditions, many of which are chronic and require ongoing care. They discuss his multiple medications, some being changed, the recommended referrals to specialists, and the request for a follow up visit in three months.
As the doctor is talking, he sees tears well up in the daughter’s eyes. She begins talking about the stress of taking care of her father’s many medical needs, his difficulty completing daily tasks, and the time away from her job and children. This scene is played out in doctor offices across South Florida and the country.
The graying of the U.S. population has presented the health care community with a conundrum — how to help the family caregivers of their patients. These individuals are often key in ensuring elderly patients follow through on the care they need. Yet our health care system is not designed to support the needs of caregivers, as busy physicians, nurses and other health professionals struggle to find the time and resources to help them.
With the new Caregiver Resource Center at United HomeCare, South Florida health professionals now have a one-stop referral resource to help their elderly and disabled patients’ caregivers. As a nonprofit organization, we operate the center as a free community resource in keeping with our mission to make a difference in the lives of individuals by promoting independence and wellness.
Social workers, geriatric medicine specialists, hospitals and elder care organizations can rely on the Caregiver Resource Center to help when family caregivers are themselves in need of assistance. Opened in December 2010, the Doral-based Caregiver Resource Center is designed to relieve caregiver burden, enhance caregiving skills and build capacity to manage caregiving responsibilities.
The center provides a rich offering of information resources and community referrals and serves as a calm haven of respite for family caregivers. It offers complimentary information about care solutions, links to community resources, caregiver education, support groups and wellness activities in a beautiful space welcoming to family caregivers. We also assist clients to apply for publically funded long term care programs if their loved one qualifies. The same services can be accessed within 24 hours through private pay.
More than 1.7 million family caregivers in Florida care for chronically ill, disabled or aged family members or friends each year, spending on average 20 hours per week providing care. The need for the Caregiver Resource Center is clear. We welcome the opportunity to help South Florida’s health care professionals meet the challenge of caring for the family caregivers who are a vital and valued partner in the delivery of elder care.
Services for Caregivers
Information: Knowledgeable staff is on-hand to listen to caregiver concerns and guide them to find the community resources and care assistance services they need. A library of audio, visual, and web-based information is also available.
Referrals: Caregivers can access short-term or long-term care services through private pay or publicly funded programs based on their loved ones’ eligibility. The center can link caregivers to a variety of community resources, social service organizations and providers of services to meet their unique needs.
Support Groups: The Support Group for New Caregivers and for Alzheimer’s Caregivers helps individuals find answers to their many questions, easing their worries via discussions about caregiving tips and available support resources.
Caregiver Education: Monthly workshops, forums and lectures help build caregiving skills and engage caregivers in conversations about care planning, legal and financial issues, and chronic disease management.
Recreational Therapy: Arts and craft activities and social events are offered weekly under the direction of a volunteer recreational specialist.
Wellness: Classes for Gentle Yoga, Tai Chi and Deep Relaxation Breathing are offered to help relieve caregiver stress and encourage self care. Caregivers who wish to enhance their cognitive abilities also may access Cognifit, an on-line subscription brain fitness program.
