More and more Americans have become caregivers, a trend predicted to continue in the future, shares United Healthcare.
“There are 65.7 million caregivers in the United States, and 86 percent of those caregivers are looking after a family member, according to statistics from Caring.com…USA Today reported the portion of American adults who said they were caregivers rose dramatically from 30 percent in 2010 to 39 percent in 2012.”
Many now care for their aging family members of the Baby Boomer generation. “Part of the reason for the rise in caregivers is the growing population of people 65 and older, which is expected to grow 101 percent between 2000 and 2030, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says,” shares United Healthcare.
Caregivers serve in many roles providing much-needed care and support to their loved ones. It’s vital they take time for themselves and nurture their own wellbeing.
Caregiver Coffee Breaks
Empath Health offers monthly Caregiver Coffee Breaks at locations throughout Pinellas County. Anyone who’s facing the challenges of caregiving can come to these group meetings to receive advice, information and support from fellow caregivers and our expert facilitators.
Resources, Tips, Comfort Food
Counselor Peter Lally has facilitated a south county group for three years. Many in the group attend consistently.
“It’s an informal group and they can come whenever they like. There are no real rules other than respecting one another. They’re a solid group of good caregivers who support one another and give each other tips on how to stay healthy. They benefit from it,” Peter said.
Caring for those with Alzheimer’s and healthcare decision making oftentimes come up.
“The big thing for them is deciding who’s in charge and making good healthcare decisions, especially when their loved ones become less responsive or have Alzheimer’s or dementia. We usually talk about healthcare surrogates, living wills and the importance of having those decisions made ahead of time. I have a lot of literature available,” he said.
Sometimes, the group deals with grief.
“Some have lost loved ones. It’s usually a new loss so we talk about our different services and there’s some bereavement support that goes on. I know they’re helping one another,” he said.
Then, there’s Peter’s extra touch of care.
“One of the things they appreciate is that I cook for them, so they don’t have to worry about dinner. I’ve made pumpkin soup and lasagna. It’s one of my favorite times of the month.”
Speakers, Guidance, Socialization
The speaker presentations have been a welcome addition to a north county group co-facilitated by Maryann Yannon, counselor, and Laura Orcutt, family resource specialist.
“Every other month we bring in speakers to talk about the other services we offer to the community. They’ve been very informative and well received,” Maryann said.
Sometimes, the group discusses the strength of their faith or financial impact of caregiving. Oftentimes, the need to take care of themselves comes up.
“Quite a few of them feel so emotionally involved in their loved ones’ care. Some of them have multiple family members they’re caring for and they’re trying to balance their time with work. We encourage them to go see their own physicians to maintain their own health,” she said.
The support, bond and special touches keep them coming back.
“What they have to deal with is tough and they’re all there to listen to each other. They’re a nice group of people. A lot of them come back and exchange numbers. It’s a good social situation that they have to connect with each other. We celebrate holidays and package up the baked goods a volunteer makes and refreshments for them to take home. This time together is a special treat and break for them. We’re there to support anything they need.”
Caring for a family member or friend? Stop by a Caregiver Coffee Break.