Multi-tasking
Caregivers: The Super Moms of the Sandwich Generation Have No Time to
Spare.
|
Tips
for Avoiding Burnout
- Evalute
your situation frequently
- Learn
the legal rights of your loved ones
- Seek
support and help from others
- Do no
deplete your own resources
- Eat regular
healthy meals
- Exercise
- Find
humor in your situation
- Create
leisure time for yourself
- Seek
medical advice as needed
- Recognize
when you need help
- Find
others who can relate to your experiences
Ammended
from Caregiver Burnout by Gail R. Mitchell of Empowering Caregivers.
www.care-givers.com
|
Are you a parent
? And a caregiver to your parent? Do you find yourself exhausted before
you even get to work? You are not alone. There are approximately 50
million Americans identified as dual generation caregivers.
Blending parenting
and elder caregiving while being fully or part-time employed is just
another reality of our times. As elders 75 plus live longer; the stronger
likelihood that their children (55 +) will bear more of the responsibility
for their care. They are on a fast track to retirement due to burnout
and increased health problems.
Many of these
working adults (the majority being women) are still putting kids through
high school or college. Some are single moms and the only wage earners.
Others find themselves
raising their grandchildren and providing care to an elderly parent
.There seems to be no end in sight for these perpetual caregivers.
Between toast and morning coffee, multi-tasking ensures the day's
success. Lunch breaks provide a chance to check in or make necessary
appointment calls. The drive home often involves a quick stop at the
store for basic necessities between weekend shopping. There is
no down time.
STOP! You need
to check all your options and have a back up plan in place. You may
be doing a superb job at holding it all together but you owe it to
your loved ones and yourself to avoid the unknown.
Find out what
your employer offers for family leave and other benefits.
Read over your elderly parent's health insurance policies and also
find out what is offered for your children under your health insurance
policy.
Get in touch with
your local Council on Aging to see what your community offers for
Adult Day Services or short term respite funding. You may unexpectedly
fall ill or become injured and temporarily be unable to provide elder
care.
If you are caring
for grandchildren, call Social Security or your local Social Welfare
Dept. to see what benefits might be available financially. Schools
are a good source of information for resources and summer camp scholarships.
Most important,
be aggressive in your pursuit of information and resources. Your own
health and the health of those you love depends upon it.
Spring
is a time of renewal and hope. Visit old friends, take a
favorite walk, enjoy the warmth, smells and sunshine of a refreshing
spring day. Take it one step and one day at a time.
|
The
Council on Aging for Southeastern VT Reaches Out to Businesses to Offer
Help for Caregiving Needs of Employees
Rather than spending
frustrating hours on the phone, your employee can call the toll-free
Senior Helpline number 1-800-642-5119. This assistance is available
for all elders in0 Windham and Windsor Counties. Getting the information
quickly for all elders and their caregivers, will enable those elders
to remain independent in their homes and less dependent on their caregivers,
your employees. Everyone in your workforce deserves to be able to
focus on their job and not have to worry about their loved ones. Let
us help relieve this burden.
We are a non-
profit organization with in-depth knowledge of Federal and State programs
such as Medicare, Medicaid, health issues, nutrition, case management,
legal services, housing, and transportation.
We can often break
through the bureaucratic red tape and "cut to the chase"
when it comes to getting straight answers in the least amount of time.
We are part of a national network called "Elder Locators"
which can assist your employees with long distance caregiving needs.
Share
the Care Workshop
Hosted by the Southwestern VT Council on Aging.
June 10th, 2004
St. Joseph College- Rutland VT
9:00-4:30 Call 1-802-747-3777
How to Organize a Group to Care for Someone Who is Seriously ill.
Author Sheila Warnock of Share the Care book will be on hand for discussion
of her ideas and sharing her experience as a caregiver.
A training workshop
for health professionals.
Cargiving Web
Sites to Visit:
www.everydaywarriors.com
www.care-givers.com
www.epf.org
www.nihseniorhealth.gov
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