FAMILY, FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS

The work of a family caregiver is hard – and harder still for the caregiver who lacks a support network of others who can help share her load.

Many family members, friends, and neighbors stand ready and willing to assist, but they may be waiting for the caregiver to ask for help. The caregiver is often reluctant to ask for help, imagining that their request would be an imposition. Your family, friends, and neighbors love you. Most of them would be honored to help ease your burden. It’s been said that it takes a village to raise a child. It also takes a village to care for a dementia patient. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If your roles were reversed, and they needed your help, you would help them, right?

Most dementia patients are at risk of wandering outside the home, requiring someone to stay with them at all times. For the family caregiver who lacks friends or family who can take her place for a few hours each week, the caregiver is on-duty 24/7. Over time, this relentless responsibility will cause burnout, and frequently lead to the caregiver to suffering physically and/or emotionally.

A regular respite break can give the caregiver an opportunity to recharge her batteries – visit the salon, take in a movie, have lunch with a friend, or go to a quiet place somewhere and simply not be “on duty” for a few hours.

Home health agencies can provide respite breaks in 4- or 8-hour increments, sending a trained nursing aide or companion to sit with the dementia patient while the family caregiver takes a much-needed break.

For family caregivers who need (but cannot afford) respite breaks, Senior Attention sponsors a program that provides scholarships to pay for a companion to sit with their loved one for a few hours each week. See the Respite Care Scholarships tab of this website to learn more about this scholarship program.

Just as child day care centers do for both the parent and young child, adult day care centers (ADC’s) represent a win-win opportunity for both the patient (who gets to enjoy fun activities and socialization with others) and the family caregiver (who gets to enjoy a day of respite from the rigors of caregiving). In order to attend an ADC, the dementia patient must: demonstrate the ability to engage with both staff and fellow participants, not exhibit behaviors that put other participants or staff at risk and not require excessive attention or care from staff due to incontinence or other limiting conditions. You may find an ADC near you by searching for “adult day care near me” in your web browser or by simply asking other caregivers.

Here are some examples of ADC’s in the North Texas area:

Click Here To Visit encoredaycare.com

Click Here To Visit fbclewisville.org

Click Here To Visit uplift100.com

Senior concierge companies offer a wide range of personalized services to relieve family caregivers of certain household chores, allowing them to focus more attention on their caregiving duties. Concierge services include, but are not limited to housekeeping, household maintenance, personal errands, valet services, and driving. Providers include both private pay and no-charge nonprofit services.

The following are examples of two nonprofit concierge services that serve the North Texas area:

Click Here To Visit friscohelpers.org

Click Here To Visit seniorshelpingseniors.org

Most communities within any mid- to large metropolitan area have some form of free meal delivery program for low-income, homebound seniors. Many churches and other community nonprofits provide this service, but the most common meal delivery service in North Texas is Meals on Wheels.

Following are links to several meal delivery programs within the North Texas area:

Click Here For Dallas County

Click Here For Tarrant County

Click Here For Collin County

Click Here For Denton County

Click Here For Parker County

Click Here For Johnson County

Click Here For Wise County

“Be good to yourself – you’re doing the best you can.”