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According to a 2023 report by the National
Alliance for Caregiving, 53 million Americans are unpaid family
caregivers, making up over 21% of the U.S. adult population. Many of these
caregiver's juggle at-home responsibilities with full-time jobs, meaning they
never truly “clock out,” even once their work shifts have ended.
This around-the-clock workload greatly affects caregivers’
productivity, mental health, and relationships. Despite the high number of
caregivers across the country who experience these adverse effects, many
struggle to find the support they need, often fearing that asking for help
might make them seem like a failure. However, stress reduction programs in the
workplace, such as employee assistance programs, can provide the necessary
support. The opposite couldn’t be truer.
The Role of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
Most major employers recognize the burden placed on family
caregivers, as over 80% of companies with more than 1,000 employees offer
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), according to the International Employee Assistance Professionals
Association (EAPA). These programs provide:
•Caregiving provider referrals
•Flexible working hours
•Remote work options
•Support groups and networks
•Child/elder care subsidies
•Caregiving seminars
•Paid time off
•On-site childcare
•Maternity/paternity leave
Not only do these services alleviate at-work stress, but
they also free up more time for employees once they get back home. According to
SYNERGY HomeCare’s Ultimate
Guide to Caregiving, some of the simplest tasks like running errands,
cooking family meals, and even doing laundry can become overwhelming when
compounded with other everyday responsibilities. Fortunately, many of these
responsibilities can be addressed by the support services available through
employee assistance programs.
Care Mapping: Identify Where You Need Help
To make the most of EAPs, SYNERGY HomeCare suggests “care
mapping.” This involves categorizing daily tasks into “buckets”—work, home,
caregiving and self-care. Identifying the most stressful areas helps caregivers
pinpoint where they need support, guiding their discussions with employers
about specific EAP services.
Explore Employer-Sponsored Support During Open Enrollment
Many companies offer employees the opportunity to “shop”
their healthcare benefits and select programs that best fit their needs in a
period known as open enrollment. Open enrollment is the perfect time to fully
explore what EAP services would address your needs as a caregiver.
While many in-house offerings normally include health, dental, and retirement
saving options, do your due diligence to find other local resources that may be
worth tapping into. Beyond workplace offerings, local resources like Meals on
Wheels, transportation services, and in-home care programs can provide
additional support. These stress reduction programs in the workplace can often
be integrated into employee assistance programs (EAPs) if discussed with
employers.
For more resources, AARP and the Northeast Business Group on
Health offer a digital
support guide with valuable information that you can access
anywhere.
Remember, caregiving is challenging, and it’s okay to ask for help. Whether you talk with your local SYNERGY HomeCare provider, or chat with your employer about available support options, communication is key and can make you feel better as a caregiver and as a person. For more information, please call 720-204-5788.
Did you know that nearly one-third of the population has difficulty swallowing pills? Most people dont swallow pills correctly. This often results in gagging, choking, and vomiting, which usually results in people not taking their medications at all, or not taking the recommended dosage, which then results in a need for later additional medical care.If you are caring for a senior who has trouble swallowing their pills, here are some medication tips and some good news. Researchers have found new techniques that make pill-popping easier, even for large pills.German researchers recently tested two methods of swallowing pills and found that 80% of the time these methods worked better than the normal way of taking a pill. The first is the pop-bottle method, and it makes tablets go down with ease. The second is the lean-forward technique, which sends capsules straight down the throat. Both have been rigorously tested by 151 volunteers who swallowed numerous dummy pills for the sake of science. And now they are being shared with the world via their publication in the Annals of Family Medicine.Read about each method so you can try it yourself or have the senior you are caring for try it. Just may make life a little easier for you both.
At least 42 percent of U.S. workers have been caregivers for aging loved ones in the last five years. In fact, most family caregivers work full or part-time while caring for their parent, spouse, aunt, uncle, or other loved one. Juggling Your Job and Caring for a Loved One The majority (68 percent) of family caregivers report making work accommodations because of caregiving duties, including: Arriving late/leaving early or taking time off Cutting back on work hours Changing jobs Stopping work entirely If this is you, you understand the challenge of juggling work and caregiving. Youll want to know that AARP is fighting for workplace flexibility, like family leave or paid or unpaid sick leave, to support family caregivers as they balance work and caregiving responsibilities. AARP is pushing for legislation that would: Let employees use their existing sick time to help care for a family member; or Give employees a few hours of unpaid time each year to help care for their loved ones; or Allow employees unpaid leave to take their loved ones to the doctor, in the same way 15 states allow employees to take unpaid time off to attend parent-teacher conferences and school events.
Many people with dementia lose their social filters and no longer understand what is or is not appropriate to say in public. They do not say embarrassing things intentionally but have indeed lost the lens they used to live with. You may have encountered situations like these: Person with Dementia upon hearing someone speaking a different language: Speak English! or they may use a racial slur to describe them.I have seen and heard many elders using racial references that were, to say the least, disrespectful. It doesnt necessarily mean the people are racist. Many of our elders grew up in much less diverse communities than we have today. They have simply lost whatever inhibitions they may have had. When they see someone of another ethnicity, they blurt out labels that they heard as youths, embarrassing everyone involved.How to respond: One of my clients used to make these remarks frequently. He also had travelled a lot. I would apologize calmly to the person and then begin talking about what language I thought they might be speaking and what country they might be from, asking my client if he had ever been there on his travels. This could lead him into a conversation about travel. If the person, he was making the remark about was on staff at the nursing home Id include them in the conversation.Person with Dementia, generally a man pinches a woman or otherwise acts out sexually: Nice butt!Stay calm and realize that this behavior is caused by the disease. Dementia has stripped your dad of his inhibitions and he really cant help it. Try not to overreact from embarrassment.How to respond: Calmly say, Thats inappropriate, Dad, or something to indicate that the action is not acceptable. It wont help to scold, however. Apologize to the person affected and then if possible, move your dad away. Explain to the person that dad has Alzheimers and his actions are the result of the disease. If you cant defuse the situation by moving him away, just allow the affected person to handle it. If it happens to a professional caregiver, they are trained to handle these situations.When these and other uncomfortable situations occur, we are embarrassed for ourselves and for the person our elder once was. Learning that we arent alone in enduring this public embarrassment helps, Talk with other caregivers, either in person or online, for perspective and the chance to laugh about these situations. When we share our stories with people who understand, our pain and embarrassment doesnt take on a life of its own. Try a caregiver forum, such as the one at AgingCare.com
At SYNERGY HomeCare, "CARE" stands for Coordinated And Responsive Engagement. We provide an integrated total solution to meeting your specific care needs. Whether for family members, friends or for yourself, you can be assured of the very best and highest quality care available. As loved ones experience the physical and emotional effects of aging, such as memory-related disorders (dementia and Alzheimers), chronic or acute illness or physical injury; our highly skilled caregivers are there to provide safety, comfort, and dignified assistance. We provide peace of mind and ensure that life at home will continue to be as independent and safe as possible.Call us now, at (303)465-HOME, to learn how our comprehensive CARE approach can help those with supportive needs, continue to live in their own home for as long as they like.