AARP – Caregivers Need Help, Too

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It’s an honor to care for the person who cared for you. Taking care of an older parent can mean anything from handling their bills, to helping them with meals, to driving them to appointments, and more. Juggling all of those roles can be tough, but Father’s Day reminds us why we do it.

My grandfather struggled with a degenerative disease, and my grandmother had to assume a lot of the responsibility of taking care of him. Luckily, we had a large family who lived close by and were able to help, and being young and in college I was able to be at her “beck and call” so to speak- only a call or a page (yes, I’m old) away when she needed me.  Most of the responsibility fell on her, which was hard since she was older herself and also didn’t know how to deal with the rapid progression of the disorder.

Across the country 42 million people, primarily women, between the ages 40 – 60 are faced with the challenge of providing care to their older loved ones each and every day. They may not know it, but they are caregivers, and they play an extraordinary role in supporting those we love.

New research from AARP suggests that caregiving can take a tremendous toll on a caregiver’s personal health and general wellbeing. And yet, many caregivers do not self-identify as such and can be reluctant to ask for help. The campaign aims to connect caregivers to resources, tools and experts at aarp.org/caregiving.

This Father’s Day, we’re raising awareness about The Thanks Project, an online platform that enables caregivers to publicly recognize the parents whom they care for. Each individual ‘thanks’ will be integrated into the interactive tapestry, representing the 42 million caregivers in the US. Caregivers everywhere deserve to be recognized for the important work that they do, and Father’s Day remind us why it’s worth it. The Caregiver Assistance program and AARP can help those who care for others.

With the resources available, caregivers can get the help they need with tips and pointers as well as support for themselves.  So many people burn out while trying to take care of others (a husband, aged parent, even an adult special needs child) that they themselves become susceptible to a wide array of health issues, fatigue, and even some mental problems.  To avoid burnout, caregivers need time to care for themselves, time for themselves, and others to support them and assist with taking care of their charge. AARP is an excellent resource,  and can help point them in the right direction and find the help they need- or their own voice.