About Elderly Caregiver Support Groups

Due to economic challenges, high divorce rates, substance abuse or other circumstances, many elderly find themselves caring for a grandchild, an adult family member with disabilities or even a fragile spouse. This can create frustrations that can lead to neglect, abandonment and even abuse. Caregiver support, whether in the form of like-minded group members facing similar experiences, or through the provision of respite services and other direct family assistance, can make a real difference in the quality of life of both the caregiver and the recipient of care.

History

• The National Family Caregiver Support Program was established under Title III of the Older Americans Act of 1965. Title III "... authorizes funds for supportive and nutrition services, family caregiver support, and disease prevention and health promotion activities." Because family care is less costly than institutional care, it makes economic sense to provide families with caregiver training, abuse/neglect recognition and prevention strategies, counseling and group support, respite services, and even direct payments to family members who provide care, due to the need to withdraw partially or in full from the workforce. In the past, once a family member needed a certain level of support, that person would be institutionalized. Family members would visit from time to time, but would not have a major impact on the individual's life. With caregiver support, however, individuals are able to remain in the community, fully involved and completely integrated into a satisfying life.

Types

• There are four types of caregivers:
  1) Professionals
  2) Natural supports
  3) "Sandwich" caregivers
  4) Grandparent caregivers

  Professionals receive compensation for their services, and are not related by blood or marriage to the person for whom they are providing care. Professionals typically have at least a two- or four-year degree in business management, nursing, medicine, education or social services. Professionals receive training in abuse/neglect recognition and prevention, first aid, CPR and automated external defibrillator use, historical foundations of in and out of home care, human rights, disease prevention, community health, human sexuality and expression and other topics as they apply to providing services to special populations. Professionals are usually licensed or regulated by the state in which they provide services, and are subject to mandatory abuse/neglect reporting requirements.

  Natural supports are people in the community, who may or may not be related to the individual receiving care, who provide services and support without compensation. This includes friends, neighbors, church members, grocers, bus drivers and postal workers. Anyone who makes the community accessible to the individual is a natural support.

  Sandwich caregivers are those who are still raising children while caring for adult family members in the home. They may or may not be related by blood or marriage to the person receiving care. The difference between these caregivers and a professional is the location where care is being provided rather than whether or not they are being paid to provide these services. Sandwich caregivers are at particular risk of burnout due to the demands on their time and emotional resilience. The bulk of elderly caregiver support is targeted toward this group.

  The fastest growing category of caregivers are grandparents. Economic pressures, drug and alcohol addiction, housing foreclosures, unemployment, divorce and many other social factors often result in absent parents being replaced by grandparents. This group has the greatest need for respite services, transportation assistance and income, with the fewest opportunities for employment.

Misconceptions

• One of the biggest misconceptions about caregiver support is the idea that caregivers can and should devote all their energies and resources to their family members in need. Self sacrifice is a wonderful thing, but if you are on an airplane and the oxygen masks drop down, you must first put your own mask on before you can help anyone else. Taking care of your own needs lasts results in burnout and is a factor in most cases of abuse, neglect or abandonment. Another misconception is that caregivers are overpaid. This is as far from true as it is possible to be. With the exception of R.N.s, most caregivers receive wages that are not capable of supporting the average family without working a second job. A third misconception is the idea that the elderly are simply being cared for, rather than the truth: Many elders are caring for adults with disabilities or children despite having care needs themselves.

Function

• Caregiver support groups provide necessary social contact, recreation, stress relief and information about available services to meet basic family needs. By caring for themselves first, caregivers are able to recharge and return to the home ready to face the next round of challenges. These support groups make information available about accessing respite services, such as daycare and after-school care for children, as well as work programs and day activity programs for adults with disabilities and fragile elders.

  Locating caregiver support services is simple. Find your local Area Agency on Aging and request an assessment of need for the person for whom you are providing care, if they are elderly, or ask for an assessment of your own care needs if you are over age 60 yourself. If you are providing care for a child, check with your local family services center. Those who are caring for adults with disabilities should contact their local board of mental retardation and developmental disabilities. For children with disabilities, contact your child's school counselor.

Benefits

• Elderly caregiver support groups provide a needed outlet for the constant challenges and frustrations of providing for family members in need. Everyone has a need for social contact, but caregivers in particular have a tendency to ignore their own needs. Caregiving can become very socially isolating. The difficulty of getting a fragile family member ready to go out results in far fewer outings than if that family member were able to get himself ready without assistance. If transporting someone with limited mobility who uses a device such as a walker or wheelchair, there is the added burden of transferring the individual from wheelchair to car and back again, twice each way. Mobility equipment is rarely light and easy to maneuver in and out of a vehicle's trunk or cargo area. Caregiver support groups often know how to access paratransit services, provide references for competent aides and help navigate the system to obtain needed services.