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ABC News Reports There are 1.4 Million Caregivers Under 21

11/27/2013

Chris Miller was ABC News Person of the Week last week. Who is Chris Miller? Chris is a 13 year old boy who is the primary caregiver to his 63 year old grandmother. Chris rushes home from school to make sure his grandmother has her medicines, he helps cook dinner for the two of them and when he is finished with that, he tackles his homework. ABC News reports that there are 1.4 million Chris Millers - primary caregivers under the age of 18 - in the United States. We found that number hard to believe, so we checked with the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY®) who says the actual number is higher, which we find shocking.

These tend to be youngsters at risk. Like Chris Miller, who lives with his grandmother, if she were no longer alive - he would be in a foster care program. Yet, there is no government assistance for the Chris Millers of the world, It saddens us to think that these kids have the kinds of responsibilities that adult caregivers have, and the added load of schoolwork, and peer pressure AND having to grow up all at the same time.

At this Thanksgiving, I have donated to support this worthwhile organization and hope you will too.

Happy Thanksgiving, stay healthy.
Debbie Carroll
Founder, TheSeniorSage.com

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A Caregiver Agreement with Your Parent

11/20/2013

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Since November is National Caregiver Month - we're going to continue to write the next few blogs about caregiving. We struck a chord with many of you - and we find the topic timely, interesting and relevant.

Please read Amy Goyer's article in the November issue of AARP Bulletin. (If you don't have the Bulletin, here is the link.) In it, she discusses the difficulty of her full-time "paid" job, and balancing that with her full-time caregiving job.
While Amy's paid job may be a bit more flexible than a typical 9-5 regiment, her issues are identical to every caregiver. One of the most important things she brings up is getting paid for the work that you do.
If you are a caregiver for a family member, here are Amy's highlights:

Create a caregiver agreement
Pay your taxes and Social Security
Have loved ones count your payment as a medical expense for tax purposes
Be professional

Here in Nevada, there is financial assistance available for caregivers, please follow this link for the Nevada's Care Connection.

(Amy Goyer lost her mother (pictured with Amy above on the cover of the AARP Bulletin) shortly after the Bulletin went to press. Our condolences go out to Amy and her father.)

Stay healthy!

Debbie Carroll
The Senior Sage

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30% of Caregivers Die Before Their Patients.

11/13/2013

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According to AgingCare.com, rough statistics show that 30% of caregivers die before those they are caring for. Some studies show deaths higher. Illness that doesn't lead to death is rampant, as well - depression and auto-immune diseases are high on the list.

Caregivers often don't go to their own doctor appointments. They put them off, because they are sick of sitting in a doctor's office with their loved ones, or are just plain too busy. Then things like breast cancer, which could be caught at an early stage, aren't found until the illness is much worse or even life threatening.

Caregivers are as important as the people they care for. If they don't care for their bodies, minds and spirits while caring for others, no one wins. Support for caregivers means we must tell our stories and share what we have learned. Make time for yourself, go to that doctor appointment, attend that caregiver help group in your town or city... you are needed and you can't be there if you aren't well. Please read this New York Times article, we found it to be helpful.

We'll continue with this topic in future blogs - we think it is important.

I hope we'll hear many of your stories on this site.

Stay Healthy!
Debbie Carroll
Founder
The Senior Sage

Image courtesy of OSTFlorida through WikiCommons

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My Story: How I became a caregiver.

11/6/2013

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The world turns upside down when you learn that your aging parents are not able to cope with their daily activities. It is even harder if they deny their needs, or try to hide them from you. It is almost impossible when they live thousands of miles away from you.
In the spring of 2000, my dad underwent lung reduction surgery to remove half of a severely diseased lung from emphysema. His $45,000 surgery wasn’t covered by insurance, and I became his advocate, and one of his caregivers. My mom was his main caregiver. In March 2003, my dad’s condition worsened, and my mom was exhausted and needed help. I had since relocated to Nevada with my family, and took a leave of absence from my job, temporarily left my children and husband to help care for my dad. When he was hospitalized, I remained at the hospital almost every day and night as his advocate. When it was obvious that he was dying, I researched hospice options. Three days after arriving at the hospice, he passed away. I helped plan the funeral service and put together his burial needs at Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. I helped my mom pack her home, and move to Nevada to be close to me and my family.

Fast-forward a few years to sitting in a doctor’s office with my mom and hearing the news from her doctor that she had dementia. Even though I expected the diagnosis my worst fears were realized. I joined an Alzheimer support group and learned all that I could to help myself and others cope with the disease. After researching the Veteran’s Administration I discovered that she was covered for several programs that significantly saved her money. Nothing prepared me for the countless phone calls that she made during my work day, and how disrupted my life was trying to help her with doctor’s appointments, and her day to day needs, all while trying to juggle the needs of my family and work obligations. Ultimately I resigned from my full time management position to help her, and keep her safe. When it became obvious that she could no longer remain in her home, I researched many options and came up with an assisted living that met her needs.

Through the years I learned which rehab facilities worked best for her needs, which doctors worked well with seniors, and how to navigate the insurance maze, as well as how to choose hospice care.

The Senior Sage came about to help seniors and their families who lack the time or experience to navigate multiple support systems.

I shared what I knew with others in similar situations. In the process I found that a new passion was born – helping seniors and their families.

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Caregivers often forget about themselves.

11/4/2013

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I’m sure you’ve been on a plane. At the start of the flight, before you’ve even gotten on the runway, the flight attendants give you the spiel that tells you what to do if there is a change in cabin pressure and oxygen is needed. They tell you that if you are traveling with someone else that needs help, you first put the oxygen mask on yourself, and then on the person you are assisting.

This is not how a caregiver thinks or acts. A caregiver is so accustomed to taking care of their husband, wife, mother, father, or kids first that they completely forget about taking care of themselves.

I’ve been there. I had a full time job, a husband, 3 kids, 2 dogs and an incredibly jam-packed life when my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. For a year or so I was able to keep up the pace of adding extra time into my day to stop by my mom’s house to help her. I navigated a system that was foreign to me and not at all easy to understand.

Obtaining Veterans Administration (VA) benefits, finding the right doctor, getting medical supplies, researching home care providers, assisted living facilities, and the overwhelming list goes on. Even after she moved into an assisted living facility the calls for help didn’t stop. I decided to quit my job and truly support my mom. Through helping my mom, I found my passion is helping seniors and their families. When my mom started having more health issues we turned to hospice. Having a full compliment of support organizations has allowed me to go back to being the “daughter” once again and not the caregiver.

This is what I want to do for you…let you be the son, daughter or loved one who can put the oxygen on yourself first and then others. I know you’re wrestling with the tough choices you are facing. Let me be the “oxygen” you need to breath easy again. Let me help you by thoroughly investigating all your options. Let me put the systems in place that will help support your loved ones while allowing you to breathe a sigh of relief that you’re making the right decisions.

Debbie Carroll
Founder
The Senior Sage

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Debbie Carroll is the Founder of The Senior Sage and knows first hand what it's like to be a caregiver.

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ABC News Reports There are 1.4 Million Caregivers Under 21

A Caregiver Agreement with Your Parent

30% of Caregivers Die Before Their Patients.

My Story: How I became a caregiver.

Caregivers often forget about themselves.

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