As we move closer to Thanksgiving, many people’s thoughts turn toward family gatherings and sharing the things we are most thankful for.
When I think of November, I think of the two major holidays, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving; but something else also falls in the month of November — National Family Caregivers Month. It’s a time to raise awareness and show appreciation for the millions of caregivers who provide care to family members, whether it be personal care; medical care; other care for daily living, such as shopping and transportation; or a combination of all three.
In working for SeniorAge and the senior center, when I think of caregivers, I think of a family member providing assistance to their older family members, whether it be assisting with meal preparation, managing medical appointments and medications, managing finances, assisting with bathing, providing transportation and so much more.
Family caregivers, however, aren’t just family members providing care to older adults. Family caregivers are all those who provide care to any family member at any stage of life with any type of medical condition or disability and in any condition of health.
When thinking personally of family caregivers, I think of my grandparents, who for many years cared for my great-grandmother who had Alzheimer’s. It takes an amazing amount of time, energy and love to care for someone.
They prepared her meals, made sure she ate and made sure she took her medications. They made sure she was dressed and groomed, took her to medical appointments, and when she began to wander, they made modifications to the home so she wouldn’t find herself out of the house in the middle the night.
They did all this even as she continued to decline and become non-verbal, and they cared for her while she lived with them in their own home, keeping her out of the nursing home until the final few months of her life. She passed away in 1996 when she was 87.
Providing care for the family member to either remain at home, or at least remain in the home for as long as is possible, takes a lot of work and sacrifice. Being a caregiver can be extremely stressful, exhausting and emotionally draining, and many may have to sacrifice their own wishes, wants and needs to provide that care.
I know there were many activities my grandparents gave up as they cared for my great-grandmother. In the last year she lived with them, she became their life.
When it comes to providing care, many caregivers may need assistance themselves, whether it be assistance from other family members or friends, a caregiver support group or respite service from an in-home care organization so that they can carve out personal time for themselves.
It’s only as I’ve grown older myself, that I’ve realized how much effort emotionally and physically my grandparents put into caring for my great-grandmother, and I am no longer able to show my appreciation or support to them. For those who have a caregiver amongst their family, one way to show support is to offer to provide care for a few hours or take on an outstanding chore or task.
So, as we take the time to be with family and friends this Thanksgiving, don’t forget about the caregivers who day in and day out provide care to their loved ones.
Kristina Atwood is the SeniorAge Center Lead and HCBS Assessor at the Cassville Senior Center. She may be reached at 417-847 4510 or kristina.atwood@senioragemo.org.
