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Community Corner

Month-Long Caregiving Series Begins at Library on Monday to Honor Older Americans Month

Non-medical home healthy agency presents valuable classes in honor of the month

On March 31, 2010, President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and the White House Council on Women and Girls hosted a Forum on Workplace Flexibility at the White House for labor leaders, CEOs, small business owners, and policy experts, sending the message that this subject is a national priority. 

The primary goal?  To discuss the creation of workplace practices that allow employees to fulfill their professional demands without sacrificing their families’ needs, as so many are struggling to balance child and elder care with their careers.

In the March 23rd press release, the President was quoted as saying, “Millions of women and men across the country struggle to balance the demands of their jobs and the needs of their families. Too often, caring for a child or an aging parent can strain a career -- sometimes to the point of job loss.”

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Now, a forum on aging parents is being held on the local level to honor May as "Older Americans Month."

at 2902 W. Bearss Avenue will be holding a forum focusing on elderly caregiving starting on Monday, May 9.  Presented by Chuck DiPierro of Always Best Care, this four-part series focuses on a quartet of crucial topics for today’s caregivers:

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  • Monday, May 9 – General Caregiving Skills
  • Monday, May 16 – Assisting with Personal Care
  • Monday, May 23 – Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer’s or Dementia
  • Tuesday, May 31– Caring for the Caregiver  (This is being held on Tuesday, since Monday, May 30 is Memorial Day).

Kurt Jasielonis, senior librarian for adult services and adult programming at the library, said the event was appropriate for "Older Americans Month."

"This will be especially helpful to the ‘sandwich generation’ – those taking caring of their children and parents," he said. "They have so many demands on them, and we are happy to provide any information we can give them."

National statistics have shown some telling information about adults who care for their parents.

In collaboration with the National Alliance for Caregiving, AARP published Caregiving in the U.S. 2009, “the most comprehensive examination to date of caregiving in America."

The study revealed that 29 percent of the U.S. adult population, or 65.7 million people, are caregivers, including 31 percent of all households. These caregivers provide an average of 20 hours of care per week, and the majority of them (two-thirds) are women.

Caregiving may include personal care, assistance with mobility in the home, transportation, housework, and grocery shopping, along with looking after other family members’ needs.

Some caregivers may be the primary source of household income, which adds even more demands, responsibilities, physical strain, emotional stress, and possibly, financial hardships. 

The library series’ presenter, Always Best Care, is a non-medical home health agency that focuses on senior care.  ABC’s services include: companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, transportation, errands, and other services that enable them to remain safely in the comfort of their own homes.
 
The north Tampa location was founded in December 2009. In an effort to assist families coping with the demands of caring for loved ones, they have partnered with the Red Cross to present these classes, which teach caregivers how to balance their own lives while maintaining their role.

“We feel a sense of fulfillment knowing that we have provided support to caregivers as they provide care for the ones they love," said DiPierro of ABC. "Our goal is to help inform caregivers about being prepared for their role and how to obtain the help and support they need from all resources that are available."

Sessions will take place in the Community Room of the Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library. For more information, call 813-310-6988 or email Mr. DiPierro at cdipierro@abc-seniors.com.

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