When caregivers face abuse, there’s hope
When Pam M.’s husband, Keith, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the Richmonder felt confident she could care for him. “I thought, ‘Keith and I can handle this. We love each other.’ But you don’t realize the extent it changes your entire life. I was prepared for him not knowing me, but not for the anger towards me,” she said. One day, that anger, a common symptom of... READ MORE
A caring home for those with disabilities
Carol A., a mother of an adult child with autism, worries about her son’s future. “After my husband’s cancer passing, I am often in private anguish about what will happen to my sweet son if anything happens to me,” she said. Parents of adult children with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) must plan ahead to secure a reliable, caring home for their children, who ... READ MORE
Advice for developing a caregiving plan
Approximately 43.5 million caregivers have provided unpaid care to an adult or child in the last year, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. Caregiving means assuming a great many unfamiliar responsibilities, such as taking care of a parent’s finances, supervising employees, and acting the part of ombudsman with medical personnel. Long-distance caregiving is... READ MORE
Financial help for Virginia caregivers
Virginia families who care for a loved one with disabilities or chronic conditions can apply for up to $400 reimbursement for respite care under a limited voucher program from the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). Respite care refers to services (such as home care and adult day care) or facilities (such as assisted living residences) that offer caregivers... READ MORE
Caregivers are overwhelmed, undertrained
Adult caregivers looking after aging relatives and friends have little training for their stressful roles but still find the experience rewarding, according to a new poll. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey finds that long-term caregivers don't just provide rides to the doctor and run errands. Nearly half perform some kind of medical care, from changing... READ MORE
