Care Giving for the Caregiver

Article submitted by Sunrise Senior Living.
For more information, visit their website: www.sunriseseniorliving.com.

The satisfaction gained from being a caregiver is incalculable, but it's no less true that caring for someone on a daily basis can be extremely taxing. Being a good caregiver requires a constant fund of ingenuity, sensitivity, and stamina-and lots and lots of time. It is not surprising that nonstop care giving can be tiring for even the most energetic person. For instance, a study published in the Psychological Bulletin found that caregivers of family members with dementia had more health problems, including lower resistance to viruses, than non-caregivers.

But for most caregivers, taking a break or a brief respite from care depends on finding someone they trust to provide high-quality care in a warm and compassionate manner. Caregivers taking just a few hours respite to run errands, see a movie, or attend religious services should feel free to ask a family member, neighbor, or friend to fill in. You will be surprised how many people are willing to help out.

For periodic absences or for loved ones requiring a higher level of care, a caregiver should contact their local area agency on aging. This organization usually can recommend well-qualified local resources that can provide a wide range of care giving services, from simple companion services to skilled nursing care. And for longer absences, a short-term stay at an assisted living community may be a worthwhile alternative. Your loved one will receive the same services and assistance that other residents receive.

If you are a caregiver, taking a break from time to time can be the best possible thing you can do, both for your loved one's well-being as well as for your own health and peace of mind. You'll recharge your energy, feel better, and return to your care giving with new enthusiasm and a fresh perspective.

For Care giving Assistance
To find the number of the local area agency on aging, call the Eldercare Locator, a service of the U.S. government, at 1-800-677-1116 or visit its Web site, www.eldercare.gov. For information on the respite alternatives available in your community, you can also contact the nearest Sunrise Senior Living community, or check the Sunrise website at www.sunriseseniorliving.com.

Sunrise Senior Living is the nation's largest provider of senior living services. The McLean, Va.-based Company employs more than 38,000 people. Sunrise currently operates 420 communities in the United States, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom with a combined capacity for more than 52,000 residents. Sunrise also now has 38 communities under construction in these countries with a combined capacity for over 3,900 residents. Sunrise offers a full range of personalized senior living services, including independent living, assisted living, care for individuals with Alzheimer's and other forms of memory loss, as well as nursing and rehabilitative care. Sunrise's senior living services are delivered by staff trained to encourage the independence, preserve the dignity, enable freedom of choice and protect the privacy of residents.