As caregivers, we often think we can do it all, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. But how many of us ever stop to think about what would happen if we got sick or were injured or needed a respite break to recharge our energy? Who would care for our loved one?
In a perfect world, caregivers never grow old or get sick. They are always available. Very few people realize that almost all of us will have a period in our adult life in which we are responsible for the car of an older relative who can not live independently. For some, this period of time could be a short time, for others, it could be years. At any one time, one in four American households is providing unpaid care to an older relative or to a loved one for a substantial period of time. It is a rare person who is not touched by this experience.
Caregivers need to have a back-up plan. Accidents and medical emergencies do happen and caregivers get exhausted and need a break or may want to take a vacation to visit another family member. Who would take care of your loved one if you could not take care of them?
The best time form your back-up plan is before you need it. Plan ahead, you will need to schedule an appointment for an assessment and/or a physical. Often the assessments are free and help you make an informed decision should you need to activate your emergency plan.
Adult Day services are provided in centers and allow the caregiver to have some respite time – which may be all the additional they need for their back-up plan.
Brethren Home Community Services provides non-medical home care where your loved one lives. This service could be in their home, your home, or in an assisted living facility and is available in increments that range from 2 hours to 24 hours a day on the days you need help. Shuff Adult Day Center is located on our campus and is open 5 days a week, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. If you need help with transportation, we can help you make those arrangements.
Do you know what resources are in YOUR community?
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