“Share the Caring”

"Did you know that more than 27 million adults in the U.S. are providing at least 20 hours of caregiving each week?"

November is National Family Caregivers Month
and National Alzheimer’s Month.

It is a time to thank, support, educate, and advocate for the more than 50 
  million family caregivers across the country.

Caregivers are those individuals who provide care to a loved one
   who is chronically ill or disabled.

According to the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA), this
   group of dedicated people provide more than 80% of all home care 
   services that are valued at more than $257 billion dollars a year. They            
   also report that two-thirds of all seniors needing care receive it solely   
   from family members. 

How are we able to fulfill the job as a caregiver, raise children, support 
a family, and take care of ourselves?

Unfortunately, the caregiver’s health usually comes last. Caregivers may 
   experience feelings of anxiety, anger, sadness, isolation, exhaustion,
   guilt, and fear.      

According to the Alzheimer’s Association national survey conducted in Sept. 2004,      
   approximately one in two “Baby Boomers” (defined as those between the age of
   40 to 59) are as afraid of taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease as 
   they are of getting the disease themselves (49%). 

The good news is there’s support in the community to help caregivers cope
   and the EAP can direct you to these resources. 

November is the time to reach out and obtain support from friends, family, and other resources, such as EAP, to get the help you need.

The best present you can give your loved one is your own good health. 

For the rest of us, it is time to think of a family caregiver we know and help 
  celebrate this month by reaching out and offering them a helping hand. 

Each of us can help in small ways such as providing transportation, bringing 
   dinner, or running an errand. 
     

For more helpful information, link to:

Full Circle of Care

Caregiver.com

Family Caregiver Alliance

National Family Caregivers Association

      Submitted by Karen Franklin, LCSW, EAP Counselor

National Family Caregivers Association: Media Action Guide, National Family Caregivers Month 2004. [abridged].
retrieved  from http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org.

Alzheimer’s Association. 2004. Alzheimer’s Disease and American’s Fears National Survey Results. Retrieved
 October 13, 2004 from http://www.alz.org.