Family Caregiver Support Program
The Family Caregiver Support Program was developed in 2000 in response to the growing needs of family and friends caring for loved ones. The program assists caregivers of older adults with information, training, respite care and supplemental services.
Family Caregiver Consultant - This is an Agency staff person who is available to speak with you about caregiver issues and options. The Family Caregiver consultant can help with:
- Scheduling providers to come into your home and help with caring for your loved one
- Providing information on stress relief, general caregiver topics, disease management, organization of a loved one’s information, and more
- Referral to other community resources that might help with your caregiving
- Listening to your needs and helping you develop a plan to meet those needs
To contact a Family Caregiver Consultant, please click here or call 800.421.7277 ext. 3995
Family Caregiver Respite Program - .Part of our Care Coordination program, this program is designed to give caregivers a break when they need it with services such as Homemaking, Home Delivered Meals, Adult Day Services, Emergency Response Systems, and more. For more information, please contact our Family Caregiver Consultant by clicking here or calling 800.421.7277 ext. 3995
Family Caregiver Training Program - Provides fun and energetic classes and events to give caregivers the knowledge they need to positively change their caregiver situations.
Caregiver Newsletters and Information - Produced by the Caregiver Support Program to keep caregivers informed.
Lists of links that are helpful to caregivers:
- Family Caregiver Alliance
- National Alliance for Caregiving: Tips for caregivers, links to other sites, and a link to a resource connection.
- www.caregiver.com: Information on caregiver magazine and special topics on items such as dementia, depression, legal issues, and care professionals.
- Administration on Aging: Information on older persons and services for the elderly. Site includes links to information on the National Family and Caregiver Support Program, Press Releases, Stats on Aging, and Family Caregiving.
- Center on Aging Studies Without Walls: Information on family relationship issues, mental health, personal care, top health concerns and caregiving myths.
- Information on Nursing Homes: Assisted living facilities, and information for individuals, businesses, and professionals.
- www.familycareamerica.com: Sites is based around an ability to search for caregiving resources by zip code. Also includes information on general topics under the heading “get help now”.
- Healthy Caregiver Magazine: Information on subscriptions, and general information on caregiving.
- National Family Caregivers Association: Broad site with many different options for all caregivers. Includes caregiving news, and options to buy informational materials.
- www.caregiving.com: Excellent general site with large amounts of information for the caregiver, not the care recipient. Site has a large focus on health of caregiver and support for caregivers.
- www.caregiverscount.com: Site on how caregivers can effect lawmaking, and news on caregiving.
Local Sites:
Alzheimer’s Association-Akron Tri-County Chapter. Great site to look for local Alzheimer’s information.
Summit County Infoline: A general information source.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My loved one is becoming more forgetful. How can I tell the difference between normal memory lapses and a more serious problem?
A: The Alzheimer’s Association has developed a list of 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s Disease. They are:
- Memory loss affecting job skills
- Difficulty performing familiar tasks
- Problems with language
- Disorientation to time and place
- Poor or decreased judgment
- Problems with abstract thinking
- Misplaces things
- Mood and behavior changes
- Changes in personality
- Loss of initiative
If you think your loved one’s memory loss is more serious than usual, or if your loved one has several of the above signs, please consult a doctor.
Q: I live very far away from my loved one needing care. How can I be a caregiver from such a long distance?
A: Long-distance caregiving can be a hard task, but it is possible for many families. Start by contacting the Area Agency on Aging, and a geriatric assessment team in your loved one’s area. Get a copy of the phone book, names and phone numbers of neighbors, friends, and loved ones around your loved one as well. The more information you have, and the more planning you do, the more successful your caregiving will be.
Q: I have heard the term “respite.” What is this?
A: Respite is giving yourself a break. It can be getting away for the day, reading a book or a facility stay for your loved one. The important thing to remember is respite is time for you to recharge. All caregivers need to look into respite if they are having a hard or stressful time with their caregiver duties.
Q: My loved one is still driving. How do I know when it’s time to hang up the keys? How do I get him to accept that he should not be driving anymore?
A: This is a common and difficult situation. A place to start is the AARP. It offers a training course titled “55 alive” for drivers to improve skills behind the wheel. AARP also offers the following self quiz on driving:
- Do you sometimes say “whew, that was close”?
- At times, do cars seem to appear from nowhere?
- At intersections, do cars sometimes proceed when you felt you had the right of way ?
- Are gaps in traffic harder to judge?
- Do others honk at you?
- After driving, do you feel physically exhausted?
- Do you think you are slower than you used to be in reacting to dangerous driving situations?
- Have you had an increased number of near accidents in the past year?
- Do you find it difficult to decide when to join traffic on a busy interstate highway?
- Do intersections bother you because there is so much to watch for in all directions?
Asking these questions, and receiving a yes to one or more, may indicate near misses in driving and should help you determine if driving by your loved one should be stopped.
Some tips on how to get your loved one to stop driving are:
- Call the Department of Motor Vehicles and ask about the state laws regarding older drivers, as well as their advice on the matter of your loved one.
- Use the doctor’s orders to stop an older adult from driving. Eye exams are very useful for seeing if your loved one’s eye sight is poor enough to warrant taking away the keys.
- Try reasoning with your loved one. If you feel that he or she is endangering people when they drive, let him or her know that. Let the older adult know that you think he or she could hurt someone else on the road if driving continues.
Q: What is Assisted Living?
A: Assisted Living is a term used to describe many different living arrangements. A good way to define it is in-between independent living. Assisted living arrangements vary. Find out what they offer, and if they are right for your loved one.
Q: I feel like I can't be a caregiver anymore, or I just want a break. Does this make me a bad caregiver?
A: NOT AT ALL. All caregivers are doing a service for their loved ones. Caregivers need to worry about how they are caring for themselves as much as caring for their care recipients. Caregiving is hard and breaks, or respite, are very necessary for the good of all involved. You owe it to yourself to worry about you first, then your care recipient. If you are sick, burned out, stressed, or just overwhelmed, and can't give care anymore, then no one is being taken care of. Do not let yourself and your interests, concerns of your own health, or your families go unaddressed. There is a happy balance, you just need to find it!
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Real Story
- B had lived alone in her own home until she started becoming confused and disoriented.
B's only son was worried about her wellbeing and took her to see her medical doctor who diagnosed her with Alzheimer's and dementia. B's son was upset and concerned and asked the doctor what he should do and how he could help her. B's doctor suggested that she be placed in a nursing facility where...Read More »
