At a time when hospitals are releasing patients earlier, the elderly are living longer with many chronic illnesses and the traditional family unit is ever changing, more family members are faced with providing care for their loved ones.
In an effort to acknowledge, assist, inform and show our appreciation for Ashe County family and kinship caregivers, the High Country Caregiver Foundation will be hosting two events in Ashe County. An appreciation luncheon will be held at Ashe Services for Aging 11-1 p.m. July 31, and a barbecue will be held at the Riverview Community Center 10 a.m.-2 p.m. July 18.
All too often, people find themselves having to perform new and unfamiliar tasks. Regardless of how one becomes a family caregiver, they take on new roles for which they may not feel prepared.
It is normal to feel nervous or overwhelmed about what is expected of you. You may experience a number of mixed emotions including anxiety, anger, and sadness. At the same time, you will probably feel the desire to care for your loved one the best way you can.
Most family caregivers find themselves having to take care of their loved one without any type of pay or compensation. This can lead to financial stress for the two-thirds of caregivers in the U.S. who have other jobs.
Depending on the level of care required, caregiving can be rather time-consuming and can require a lot of hard work. All too often, caregivers sometimes end up taking care of everyone else, while they neglect themselves.
This can negatively impact the caregiver’s emotional and physical health. Communication also can be difficult in caregiving, which can lead to moments of stress and frustration, especially when dealing with people suffering from illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease.
Loved ones in need of care often include those suffering from a physical or mental illness, disability, substance abuse or misuse, or other conditions that prevent a person from being able to care for themselves or their children.
Are you a family caregiver?
If one or more of the statements below apply to you, you are a family caregiver. Do you…
• Provide direct care to someone, such as feeding, bathing, dressing, supervising or other type of assistance?
• Provide supportive care such as delivering meals, giving rides, calling or stopping in to check on someone?
• Coordinate medical appointments and medication management?
• Assist with household chores or financial oversight?
• Provide some other type of assistance to a loved one that enables them to have the best quality of life as is possible?
• Provide daily care and supervision for a minor, related to you by blood or marriage, which is not your biological child?
Although caregiving can be a stressful, overwhelming job, it also can be a very rewarding experience. Caregivers not only help people who are desperately in need of it, but they also provide much-needed companionship and friendship that care-receivers truly appreciate. Helping others is always commendable, because every one of us may need caregiving assistance at some point in our own lives as well.
For more information or if you are interested in sponsoring or attending these worthwhile events, please contact: Brenda Reece at (828) 265-5434 ext. 128 or toll-free at (866) 219-3643 or email breece@regiond.org.
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