Being a family caregiver is a tough job. You might not even realize you are a caregiver, but every time you pick up groceries for grandma or help dad with the laundry because he can’t take the basket upstairs like they used to, you are caregiving.
Most caregivers don’t put their needs first, keeping their focus on the person that needs them the most. More than 53 million people are providing unpaid care to another adult, draining themselves mentally, physically, spiritually and financially. This is a recipe for disaster since the family caregiver needs to take care of themselves to be the best they can be.
Respite care is a solution for the family caregiver who needs relief. The benefits of respite care include: a chance to catch up on sleep, lower stress (both of which improve the immune system), take care of appointments, or just simply relax.
In addition to providing valuable care for patients and their families, professional caregivers benefit the economy by increasing workforce productivity. Informal caregiving, such as running mom to the doctor, is estimated to amount to $34 billion in annual productivity losses. These losses include $6.6 billion in employee turnover, $6.3 billion in workday adjustments, $5.1 billion in absenteeism, $4.8 billion when caregiving requires a change in status from full-time work to part-time. Other workplace fallouts include giving up on a promotion or opportunities, early retirement, or loss of benefits.
Professional caregiving from Assisting Hands can be a short-term solution you need.
