29 Jun Who is a caregiver?
Find out who a caregiver is and services that are available
November is National Family Caregiver Month
National recognition of family caregivers came to the public eye because of the Caregiver Action Network in 1994. Not long after, President Clinton signed the first National Family Caregiver Month proclamation in 1997 and since, November has been devoted to honoring family caregivers. The theme this year is #BeCareCurious and throughout the month of November, there will be events and raised awareness surrounding caregivers and the work they do. This month honors the family caregivers, who are unpaid and give their time, energy, and hearts to their care recipients.
Who is a Caregiver? And what do they do?
The general term caregiver applies to any one—family member, friend, spouse, neighbor, or a paid employee, that assists someone. A family caregiver is just that, an unpaid family member that assists a loved one while sometimes working full time, raising young children, or maintaining other core responsibilities.
In the context of paid positions, a caregiver is a licensed professional hired through an agency or nonprofit who assists an older adult or person in need that lives at home.
According to the National PACE Association, “the Caregiver Action Network (CAN) is the nation’s leading family caregiver organization working to improve the quality of life for the more than 90 million Americans who care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities, disease, or the frailties of old age.”
“Caregiving can be a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week job,” states the Caregiver Action Network, which spearheads National Family Caregivers Month. “Providing care around the clock can crowd out other important areas of life.”
Caregivers have a variety of roles and responsibilities but most often are the primary care for everyday life for their loved ones. The responsibilities range from handling all finances and legal matters to being a companion and friend. Most often, a caregiver is on call 100% of the time 24/7.
They often assist their loved one from morning till night, doing a wide range of home services like cooking and cleaning to arranging and attending medical appointments and leading medical care decisions.
Vintage offers caregiver support and services as well. Give us a call today!