President Obama has proclaimed November, "National Family Caregivers Month”. He sees it as “a time to reflect on the compassion and dedication that family caregivers embody every day”.
More than 65 million family members, friends, and neighbors, 29% of the US population, devote an average of 20 hours per week to providing unpaid care to their relatives or loved ones. More than 40% of these individuals provide direct “nursing care” for loved ones. Their time and efforts are valued at an astounding $450 billion a year.
The President proclaims that “across America, daughters and sons balance the work of caring for aging parents with the demands of their careers and raising their own children”. Incredibly, 60% of caregivers work – having to juggle their caregiver responsibilities and their job.
“Spouses and partners become caregivers to the ones they love even as they navigate their own health challenges. Mothers and fathers resume care for children returning home as wounded warriors. Friends and relatives form networks to support loved ones with disabilities,” the proclamation emphasizes.
During National Family Caregivers Month, “we recognize and thank the humble heroes who do so much to keep our families and communities strong,” the proclamation continues.
President Obama’s proclamation concludes by asking Americans to “offer our appreciation and admiration for their difficult work” and to “also extend our own offers of support to them and their loved ones.”
Family caregivers have an immeasurable impact on the lives of those they assist, but they often neglect caring for themselves. It is a fact that caregivers tend to be less healthy than non-caregivers and have significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety. The American Medical Association identifies caregivers as “the patients behind the patient.” Today’s caregivers are a vulnerable population.
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Recognizing the importance of self-care for the caregiver, the AloesÄa Caregiver Program was implemented by Hospice by the Sea, Inc. to share its more than 35 years of experience in caregiving. The Program’s goal is to give caregivers the knowledge, skills, and support they need to better care for their loved ones and themselves. Services are offered to all family caregivers in Palm Beach and Broward Counties. Caregivers do not need to have a loved one on hospice services to participate.AloesÄa’s services include 5 components. Caregiver Education includes skills training workshops, lectures on self-care topics, and the distribution of printed resources. An award-winning step-by-step caregiver skills training DVD, “A Lifeline for Caregivers” is available in both English and Spanish.
Professionally-facilitated Comfort Circles offer the caregiver a safe place to share emotions and experiences, gain new and practical knowledge, and learn self-care strategies. Caregivers can also learn and experience the benefits of complementary therapies. Licensed and certified practitioners offer complementary therapies – which are holistic interventions to reduce stress; improve, maintain, and promote health and well-being. Individual sessions of reiki, healing touch, and aromatherapy are available.
AloesÄa understands caregivers’ reluctance to take time for themselves. Therefore the program has trained volunteers available to provide in-home companionship to loved ones so caregivers can care for themselves or participate in our services.
A dedicated phone line and e-mail address allows caregivers to learn more about our services, as well as obtaining information about other caregiver resources in the community.
Over the past year, AloesÄa implemented a project to address the increasing number of family caregivers in the workforce. United Healthcare Community Plan of South Florida provided a $10,000 grant to AloesÄa that enabled the program to increase employer awareness about the number of working caregivers on their staff. AloesÄa is helping South Florida companies and organizations to identify and support these individuals by making available, at their workplace, educational presentations on topics such as respite care, advanced care planning, home health services, hospice care, and other resources in our community.
