Caregiving

Caregiving support to provide caregivers respite.
The Caregiver “Cloak of Invisibility”

How Friends and Family can Support a Caregiver in Keeping Their Sense of Self

Lotsa is excited to partner with Papa to provide you with co-authored, collated content on topics relevant to caregiving and supporting the needs of a loved one.

If you are interested in learning more about how Papa can support your loved ones with companionship and assistance, please call Papa Care Team at 1-888-552-3816. You can also read more about the service and how it can help at https://joinpapa.com/lotsahelpinghands.

Caregivers Need Encouragement
Caregivers, whether they are a spouse or friend, can find themselves in a “cloak of invisibility” as they lose touch with their identity. At the end of a long day, they may be weary, overburdened, or overwhelmed. As a result, they may start to feel alone with such a huge weight of responsibility on their shoulders.
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Family Caregivers, Burnout & Respite

By: Comfort Keepers®

This month is National Family Caregivers Month and serves as a time to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of family caregivers far and near. Unfortunately, as the senior population is projected to increase in the following years, the number of eligible family caregivers is declining.  According to AARP, the ratio of caregivers to individuals over the age of 80 will decline from 7:1 in 2010, 4:1 by 2030 and 3:1 by 2050.

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The DOs and DON’Ts of Caregiving

By: Alexandra Axel, The Caregiver Space
Do you want to give a caregiver in your life a break? Here’s what NOT to do.

When a loved one develops a health problem, typically one family member serves as the primary caregiver, depending on geographic distance from, or relationship to, the patient. In an ideal world, the rest of the family steps in to give the primary caregiver some respite.  But sometimes, relatives hoping to help can end up doing more harm then good.

 

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How is Music Therapy Helping Dementia Caregivers

By: Comfort Keepers

Nothing hurts more than seeing a loved one’s memories start to fade away. Familiar faces and places are taking more time for your mom or dad to recognize, and the patience and compassion a family caregiver has to show at all times can be an unanticipated struggle some days. There is no cure for dementia, but studies have shown increased cognitive activity can help offset the progression of the disease and make improvements. The American Music Therapy Association says that music therapy provides dementia patients with numerous opportunities, and we want to go over some of the ways it can help enhance the care of your loved one with dementia.

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The Changing Landscape of Caregiving

By Anila Sitaram Venkat

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2030, 20% of Americans will be 65 years or older, up from 13% in 2009.  This trend represents a confluence of two factors: an aging Baby Boomer population and the fact that people are living longer than ever before.

This trend will no doubt have far-reaching implications, from creating a shortage of geriatricians and nurses trained to care for the elderly, to placing an increased burden on our hospitals and long-term care facilities. However a lesser recognized impact is the strain that this trend will place on caregivers: the family and friends charged with taking care of their elderly loved ones. 

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5 Ideas to Help You Find Senior Care Online

By Dave Singleton, Caring.com author

Managing a loved one’s care doesn’t just take a village. Sometimes it requires advanced research skills and a master’s degree in organizational development, too.

If you’ve managed care of any kind for an aging parent, you know what I’m talking about. It’s heartwarming when friends and family offer support. But without a way to truly marshal all that good will, you’re still in need of a smiling army at your command to help out. Lotsa Helping Hands offers tools and resources to engage your army of helpers and act as a virtual organizational developer, especially when you need your village around you for a discrete period of time.

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Caring for a Loved One with A Brain Tumor

By: the American Brain Tumor Association
Caring for a loved one who has a brain tumor can be an overwhelming experience. In addition to medical terms to learn, schedules to manage and medications to dispense, there is the stress of dealing with an uncertain prognosis and a future that is forever altered. From the physical and emotional drain to the dramatic changes that can occur within the caregiver/patient relationship, embarking on the caregiving path can be a journey in and of itself.

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Caring for the Caregiver: Finding the Right Recipe

Here at Lotsa Helping Hands, we often hear from our very own members. This guest blog post comes from Karen, who writes about finding the right recipe to meet a family’s needs. 

I recently received an email from a parent of another child in my daughter’s third grade class.  Another mom—someone new to town, who I don’t yet know well—was scheduled for reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy. She’d be in the hospital for five days, followed by least another five days of strict bed rest, and probably many more days where she wouldn’t have the energy to cook for her family.  One way our community was coming to her family’s aid was by organizing meal deliveries. Of course I wanted to help out.

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The Votes are Counted – Now Caregivers Need to Speak up

By: Sherri Snelling

After a long, hard battle President Obama has gained a second term as Commander in Chief.  We heard from the TV news pundits this election was a turning point in understanding the needs of a changing America.  I hope valuing family caregivers becomes part of that change.  We need to encourage the White House, Congress and all sectors of society to support those caregiving Americans who represent 80 percent of the long-term care workforce in our country – but how?

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