The Family Caregiver Has Options

Article submitted by Springwood Court FiveStar Senior Living, Inc. of Ft Myers, Florida,
Location: 12780 Kenwood Lane, Fort Myers, Florida 33907
Assisted Living Facility #0007475
For further information call 239-278-0078 or visit their Profile

Did you know caregivers have a higher than normal incidence of getting sick? They often become so run down they cannot maintain the stamina to continue caring for another person. Does this sound familiar? If you are a family caregiver when was the last time you took care of yourself and followed your dreams?

For seniors who require daily living assistance the volume of work for the family caregiver can be too much. According to the National Family Caregiver Association, family caregivers provide 80% of our nations long term care services for "free" at a cost of over $306 billion annually.¹ The question to ask is what price is the family caregiver paying in terms of their life, their relationships to other members of the family and their careers?

For many family caregivers it is quality time with their loved one or other family members that suffers, or a favorite pastime or career that cannot be pursued. Remember, your loved ones are a living reminder of how quickly time passes.

The importance of hope and the cost of lost dreams are priceless. Go for counseling if needed and don't feel guilty about it. We all need help now and then. Also, laughter is good for the body and soul both for the caregiver and the senior. Don't take yourself too seriously and try to find the bright and shining moments in your life and your loved one's. Life is too short to not look for the sunbeams.

Lastly, investigating programs and communities that provide "Respite Care" and "Assisted Living" is a wise move for the family caregiver. The goal is for the family caregiver to be educated and prepared in case needs change both with the family caregivers ability to care for their family member or the senior's needs change. Become familiar with the term "Respite Care" which is:

Respite Care is short-term relief for family caregivers to take a break from the caregiving responsibilities, including: housing, home care, day care, or financial assistance.

Respite Care is typically available in an assisted living community so that families can take vacations or business trips. However, there are often a limited number of openings for this type of care so be sure to inquire before you need respite care. Also a respite care stay can be looked at as a test of the assisted living community and how your family member accepts the assisted living lifestyle in a senior community.

Another recommendation is for you and your loved one to tour assisted living communities in your area so you have a clear understanding about what they provide. A tour can allow you and your loved one to experience first hand what an assisted living community is all about. Many of these communities offer a very fine level of care and exceptional assisted living lifestyle.

More about Springwood Court

Springwood Court FiveStar Senior Living, Inc. is a premier assisted living community located in Ft. Myers, Florida. We are a renowned FiveStar Senior Living, Inc. property. Aside from assisted living, we offer on sight rehabilitative and therapeutic departments for our residents to assist in improving the quality of daily life. We also offer customized lifestyle for our residents; complete with attention to detail that consistently exceeds expectations. We understand the unique needs of all our residents. Whether it is cream or sugar in their coffee or matters of a more serious nature, our goal is to get to know our residents and provide the services that suit them perfectly. We also offer Respite Care.

Springwood Court FiveStar Senior Living, Inc., 12780 Kenwood Lane, Fort Myers, Florida 33907
Assisted Living Facility #0007475

¹Source: Arno, Peter S., "Economic Value of Informal Caregiving," presented at the Care Coordination and the Caregiving Forum, Dept. of Veterans Affairs, NIH, Bethesda, MD, January 25-27, 2006.
www.nfcacares.org