November is National Family Caregivers Month
22 Nov 2018
November is a month that has been set aside to recognize the contribution of family caregivers across the county and the sacrifices they make to provide dedicated care for their loved ones. In the U.S. there are nearly 90 million family caregivers that play pivotal roles in the health and well-being of loved ones.
This year’s theme is “Supercharge Your Caring,” encouraging caregivers to make sure they have the right tools and technology to optimize their caregiving abilities. The right tools and technology can help lighten the load and ease the burden of long hours providing cares for those who provide tireless and dedicated care to family members.
One of the tools designed to help provide family caregivers with peace of mind, is GPS tracking. This tool can be instrumental in helping to locate patients who have dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or other conditions that render them prone to wandering.
Not only can it help to locate lost family members, but it can also notify caregivers whenever patients roam beyond certain boundaries, alerting you that it’s time to check on your family member and allowing you to provide loved ones with some degree of privacy and independence that would not be possible without the assistance of GPS monitoring.
Additional tools to consider include tools that automatically upload daily (or more frequently required) vital signs to physicians, medication reminder tools and apps, in-home sensors, webcams, and more.
Why is National Family Caregivers Month so Important?
This month is a time when we acknowledge the dedication and compassion of those who work tirelessly to improve the lives of family members who are unable to live independently and require some support. It’s an understanding that this labor of love is not without cost to those who bear it and to provide support through education and technology to help improve the lives of those providing care in private homes and in senior housing communities. Specific goals of National Family Caregivers Month, according to Caregiver Action include:
- Raising awareness of issues family caregivers face.
- Celebrating efforts family caregivers make.
- Educating family caregivers about the importance of self-identification.
- Increasing support for family caregivers throughout the country.
Family caregivers serve important roles in today’s society. As the costs of managed care soar, family caregivers provide a loving connection to family without placing the financial security of loved ones at risk. The month of November has been designated as a month to acknowledge and celebrate the sacrifices it takes to do so.
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