Celebrating Everyday Heroes: Family Caregivers

If you have ever felt underappreciated and unrecognized in your role as family caregiver, this month is for you! November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to celebrate the tireless work and dedication you invest in making sure a loved one’s life is the best it can be.

While It’s Not Always Easy, You Are Making a Difference

Take a moment to think about what a day in the life of family caregiving involves. Your first thoughts are never for yourself, but for the overall health of someone you love. Thanks to you, an older family member:

• Never has to be worried about facing the challenges of aging alone
• Receives the help and support needed to accomplish the daily tasks of living that may have become hard to take care of independently
• Can enjoy healthy and well-balanced meals
• Has a companion to brighten each day through fun activities, outings, and conversations
• And so much more

Caregiving is a rewarding but challenging endeavor, and we salute you for your selfless work.

You Are in Good Company

According to an AARP study, unpaid family caregiving amounts to more than $600 billion in care. This mind-blowing figure equates to 38 million family caregivers who care for a loved one an average of 18 hours per week. To put that into perspective, this far surpasses the $433 billion spent annually in out-of-pocket healthcare costs by everyone in the United States.

But You Cannot Do It All Alone

Family caregivers often feel as though there is no one who knows the older loved one better than they do, and therefore no one can provide the same level of care. While the first part of this may very well be true, the fact is that trying to meet all of a loved one’s care needs independently isn’t healthy for either the care receiver or the caregiver.

In order to offer the best care for someone you love, you need to take care of yourself, too. Feeling burned out and worn down leads to lower patience levels, less attention to detail, and more stress and frustration—a recipe for a number of adverse effects, including:

• An increased risk of injury to the older adult from a fall, medication mishap, or other accident
• Anger and resentment, as well as other difficult emotions
• Caregiver depression and other serious health conditions
• Relationship problems with other friends and family members who also need your time and attention
• Sleeping issues
• Self-medication through unhealthy means
• And much more

The Solution

The very best way you can celebrate National Family Caregivers Month is by acknowledging the need for support to allow you to take time to care for yourself. Morning Glory Home Care’s respite care services are the perfect way to obtain a healthier life balance while ensuring the high quality care a loved one deserves.

We help family caregivers like you prioritize their own health and wellness without compromising the care their loved ones receive. Contact us online or call us at 618-667-8400 for more information on our customized in-home respite care for older adults in Granite City, Alton, Edwardsville, and the surrounding areas.