Reason #1: The training you receive from Sollievo eases your burden of caregiving.
The Associated Press reported on August 16, 2007, that "...customized training for the family caregivers of an aging parent with Alheimer's disease not only eases their burden but it can even keep the aging parent out of a nursing home for an extra year and a half."
With nursing home costs now averaging $60,000 (U.S.) a year, that is a savings of $90,000 per person. Trained caregivers also experienced fewer symptoms of depression and physical health problems and had several more years to enjoy the time they spent with their Mom/Dad before the transition to longterm care became inevitable.
Reason #2: Sollievo provides trained resources to do what you can't do and what you shouldn't do.
Caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias shoulder a particularly heavy burden of care. Compared with other caregivers, the type of care provided is more physically challenging, emotionally demanding, more time-consuming, and takes a heavier toll on work and family life.
Nearly 1 in 4 provide "constant care" - committing 40 hours or more per week. They do so for a long time - 71% for more than a year and 32% for five years or more.
Like other caregivers, the majority of Alzheimer's caregivers work full or part time. Even more so than with other caregivers, their responsibilities at work are adversely affected by the demands of caregiving.
- 67% of working Alzheimer's caregivers reported that they missed work because of their caregiving responsibilities
- 14% gave up work early or chose early retirement
- 13% cut back on work hours or took a less demanding job
- 8% turned down a promotion and 7% lost job benefits
There is an adverse effect on both the caregiver who is trying to balance competing obligations (effecting family income and the caregiver's own retirement security) and for the employer who bears the cost of reduced productivity.
Caregiving also takes a large personal toll on the dementia caregiver and her/his family:
- 55% have less time for other family members
- 49% give up vacations, hobbies or social activities
- 30% get less exercise than before.
- Over 40% report high levels of emotional stress
- One in five dementia caregivers is in fair or poor health and 18% say that caregiving has made their health worse.
[Survey Source: The Alzheimer's Association & NH Alliance...]
Sollievo's respectful and valuable resources give you a break from the worry and stress of 24/7 caregiving. We improve your skills through training, increase your confidence, and help you find the "just right" answers and resources.
Reason #3: Sollievo recognizes that most adult siblings live, on average, seven hours away from parents. We coordinate with all family members who wish to participate, and we use electronic conferencing to make sure everyone is included.
Family relationships change when Alzheimer's strikes and intense caregiving occurs regardless of living arrangements. Adult children are most often the primary caregiver, even when a spouse is present.
If you've recently received a diagnosis in your family, you might not have any network of helpers assembled. We can assist you with that.
If you've been living with this for a while, you most likely receive help in varying amounts from a wide network of family, friends, coworkers, and other concerned parties. At your direction, Sollievo includes members of this network in training sessions, in-home consultations, and conference calls.
Not only do you receive the benefits of training, education, and assistance - so does your entire network of helping hands.
Reason #4: Sollievo helps you with much more than activies of daily living (ADLs), because Alzheimer's caregiving is about much more than ADLs. Even more than other caregivers, you face special challenges arising from memory and judgement issues.?
Additionally, you are addressing basic health care needs, struggling to negotiate the care system and are looking for information and help in carrying out these broader responsibilities. We provide the expertise in the comfort of your home when you're ready to tackle those issues.
Existing caregiver support programs tend to be organized around activities of daily living like bathing, feeding, dressing and toileting. But Alzheimer's caregivers also need help in managing challenging behaviors like wandering and forgetfulness, as well as assistance in handling Medicare, legal, and financial matters.
The advisors of Sollievo will help you navigate the healthcare systems, understand what to do in difficult situations, and make informed decisions.
Reason #5: Services and resources help caregivers stay healthy and balanced.
Caregivers tell us that the programs which will help them achieve better health all do at least one of the following:
- Save them time. Reserve time for exercising, eating better, going to the doctor, or simply to rest - all critical to their well being.
- Allow down-time from caregiving responsibilities. This gives caretakers "extra" time to look after themselves and gives them a temporary break from the worry and responsibility of being a 24/7 caregiver. Nearly all caregivers wish for a significant amount of respite.
- Reduce their level of stress. Gaining time and receiving respite would help reduce caregiver stress. Other "stress relievers" include training programs designed to increase caregivers' confidence in their caregiving or help them make difficult caregiving decisions. A reduction in stress would lead to a decline in the stress-related physical problems that caregivers endure, from high blood pressure to acid reflux.
- Make them feel cared about, valued.?Caregivers are used to caring about and for other people and don't seem to have the time or energy to take care of themselves. A person who cared about their well being and supported their efforts could influence them to take better care of themselves and give them the confidence to make tough caregiving decisions.
Reason #6: Longterm care options are not exactly "home" and are quite expensive.
Family members know that taking care of someone with dementia is never easy. Many are hesitant to place their parent in a nursing home or assited living. Sometimes, the decisions include significant focus on financial matters.
Our care management plan costs a fraction of the total longterm care costs that a family will incur, with or without the care plan. Our hope is that our customers experience not only a savings financially because of our strategies, but also a peace of mind that they've made informed decisions based on the advice and direction and strategies we provide.
Just as there are good reasons to keep an aging parent at home, there are several reasons to consider alternative living arrangements. Waiting until a crisis or until the caregivers are over-burdened causes knee-jerk reaction, panic, guilt, and trauma.
Instead, your Sollievo advisors will walk you through a step-by-step planning process. And when it's the right time, we'll help you gracefully implement your well-designed plan to ease the transition.
Reason #7: Sometimes we don't know what we don't know.
Let's face it, becoming a caregiver to your parent(s) is a dfficult adjustment to make. Sometimes people just don't know how, or when, or where to begin. That is the perfect time to seek help from our advisors who have been experts for a long time and who are able to see both the big picture and the finer details.
From the time you call us, we will listen and guide you at your own pace (not ours). We will find what is burdensome, corral the resources, and bring you relief.
