How Do I Know I’m A Caregiver?
80% of all the care received by older adults is provided by family and friends.* If you provide any of the following for another person you are probably a caregiver:
- Help with paying bills
- Help with household chores such as shopping, cooking, laundry, and/or home maintenance
- Help with personal care (dressing, bathing, feeding, toileting)
- Help moving around the house
- Help with transportation
- Help with taking medications
- Help with making or receiving telephone calls
- Help arranging/coordinating outside services
- Companionship by personal visits or telephone
Where Can I Turn?
- Your employer may offer benefits you don't know about, from flexible scheduling to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Get a copy of the benefits manual or talk to Human Resources to find out what your employer offers.
- Contact your local Area Agency on Aging; they are a trusted resource for aging information and senior assistance programs.
- SeniorNavigator.org, Virginia’s free resource for seniors, their families and caregivers, provides comprehensive, up-to-date information on every facet of senior health and aging and is a one-stop resource for local programs and services.
* When Employees Become Caregivers: A Manager’s Workbook, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
