In November, organizations across the United States will celebrate and recognize family caregivers during the annual National Family Caregiver Month. With over 50 million family caregivers across the U.S., the number of people who choose to care for their loved ones themselves is growing rapidly.

If you are a caregiver, here are three good steps you can take every day to make your life better and improve the care you give your loved one. Believe in yourself, protect your health, and reach out for help when you need it.

To help family caregivers, senior adult centers in Southern Illinois provide support and resources, and give family caregivers tips on obtaining quality care. Senior centers have information on home delivered meals, care in the home, help with the application process for prescription drug assistance, and many other programs.

However, in order to avoid caregiver burnout and provide quality care, family caregivers sometimes need to seek out supplemental care from a professional caregiver or agency. Whether the extra help a family caregiver receives is from someone they hire privately or through an agency, caregivers can feel confident that their loved one is receiving quality care if they follow a few tips.

Ask prospective agencies if they hire their own workers or rely on independent contractors. Ask how long they have been providing home care, if they develop an individualized plan, how emergencies are handled, and how often workers are monitored?

In addition, the following questions may be helpful. Does the agency supervisory staff make regular visits to the home? How does the agency screen and select workers prior to an assignment? Are references checked and criminal background and drug screens conducted on all workers?

Finally, does the agency adhere to government employment practices, including withholding appropriate taxes, providing workers compensation and other benefits? If the agency uses independent contractors, who employs the person and pays the mandated taxes and withholdings?

To learn more about the differences between the types of professional caregivers and finding supplemental care, visit the National Private Duty Association Website at www.privatedutyhomecare.org.

National Family Caregiver Month was developed to recognize and honor the roles that families play as caregivers. If you are a family caregiver, remember to take care of yourself, don't be afraid to seek help, communicate with family members, seek information, and maintain your sense of humor.

When your care giving efforts seem conflicted, just remember a quote from Thomas Paine, a Revolutionary War-era patriot, who said that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

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Information on Caring for an Aging Parent

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