If you have ever felt unrecognized and underappreciated in your role as family caregiver, this month is for you! November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to applaud the tireless work and dedication you invest in making sure a loved one’s life is the best it can be.
While There Are Family Caregiving Challenges, You Are Making a Difference
Take a moment to think about what a day in the life of family caregiving involves. Your first thoughts are never for yourself, but for the health and wellbeing of someone you love. Because of you, an older family member:
- Never has to be worried about facing the challenges of aging alone
- Obtains the support and help needed to complete the daily tasks of living that may have become challenging to take care of on their own
- Has a companion to brighten each day through fun activities, outings, and conversations
- Can enjoy healthy and well-balanced meals
- And much more
Caregiving is a rewarding but challenging endeavor, and we salute you for your selfless work.
You’re in Good Company
According to an AARP study, unpaid family caregiving amounts to more than $600 billion in care. This mind-boggling statistic translates to 38 million family caregivers who care for a loved one an average of 18 hours per week. To put that into perspective, this far surpasses the $433 billion spent annually in out-of-pocket healthcare costs by everyone in the United States.
But You Cannot Do It All Alone
Family caregiving challenges are many and common. Caregivers often feel as though there isn’t anyone who knows the older loved one better than they do, and therefore no one can provide the same standard of care. While the first part of this may very well be true, the truth is that trying to meet all of a loved one’s care needs independently isn’t healthy for either the caregiver or care receiver.
In order to provide the best care for someone you love, you need to take care of yourself, too. Feeling worn down and burned out contributes to lower patience levels, less attention to detail, and increased frustration and stress—a recipe for a number of negative effects, including:
- Anger, resentment, and other complicated emotions
- Sleeping issues
- Caregiver depression and other serious health issues
- An increased risk of injury to the senior from a fall, medication mishap, or other accident
- Relationship problems with other friends and family members who also need your time and attention
- Self-medication through unhealthy means
- And much more
The Solution
The very best way you can celebrate National Family Caregivers Month is by acknowledging the need for support to allow you to take time to care for yourself. Believers Home Care’s respite care services are the ideal way to obtain a healthy life balance while ensuring the high quality care a loved one deserves.
We help family caregivers like you prioritize their own health and wellness without compromising the care their loved ones receive. Contact us at 3176523653 for more information on our customized in-home respite care.
Last modified: February 15, 2024
