Presented By:
Cheryl Stover & Jordana Naftzinger

Millions of baby boomers are treading water — holding down full-time jobs,
taking care of kids, and watching over aging parents.

But Dr. Penny Wolfe, neuropsychologist at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, says that assuming the role of caregiver should come with a warning label: Caution. Too much caring for too long can be dangerous to your health!

“When someone is your responsibility 24/7 it takes a toll, physically and emotionally,” Wolfe says. “It can exacerbate your own health problems, wear down your immune system, and build anger, anxiety and depression.”

Taking a break — a respite — is the best thing you can do for yourself —
and has unexpected benefits for your loved one.

When you nurture yourself, you are less likely to feel resentment about the loss of personal space and time — and less likely to react with anger, she explains. And a respite for you can actually be a happy change of pace for your family member, too.  “Interaction with different people is a great way to stimulate the mind and acquire new interests,” Wolfe adds.

“I advise people to plan a regular respite in order to create
normalcy and calmness for themselves,”

she says. “That can mean anything from a simple coffee break with friends, an afternoon shopping once a week — or a short walk. Of course a week’s vacation could do wonders to recharge your mental and physical batteries — although it may not be possible for everyone. You can either have someone come to your home to relieve you — or find an appropriate short-term, outside placement for your loved one,” Wolfe adds.

Here are some tips to help you find your “required respite:”

For short-term in home respite:
*Solicit the help of a responsible teenager or college student in your neighborhood for an hour or so a week.
*Don’t be afraid to ask other family members for help. Use the senior version of Facebook, at CarePages.com, to keep them up to date and to enlist their support.
*Look for volunteers at your local faith based, community, and other non-profit organizations.
*If your loved one needs professional services, contact local home-care businesses that provide trained staff to cover in home care for short intervals.

For day services outside of your home:
Check out your local social services office or agency on aging for a list of adult day care centers — centers specialize in specific services from health care, dementia services to social activities. Or visit www.eldercare.gov for more information. For short term solutions: *Check with your nearest Genesis Assisted Living Community or Skilled Facility.

For more information on reducing caregiver stress, and resources for respite care, Wolfe recommends visiting www.helpguide.org. Or contact Genesis to inquire about respite facilities in your area.

Article brought to you by Heritage at Milford Assisted Living, Genesis HealthCare.
For more information on Heritage at Milford call 302-422-8700 or
Heritage at Dover call 302-735-8800
visit www.genesishcc.com.
© 2010 Genesis HealthCare Corporation.

Heritage Assisted Living cares for the members in their community and strives to encourage the independence of seniors, but also encourage them to partake in daily activities. They are dedicated to meeting the needs of their seniors. Their mission is to improve the life of each and every single member that is within their community by delivering excellent healthcare and the compassion of their staff. Heritage’s educated and well-trained nurses have become the core of the community. Through dedication and passion, Heritage will continue to improve the daily lives of their senior citizens.

Both Heritage communities are Genesis HealthCare facilities, one of the nation’s largest long-term care and rehabilitation therapy providers. Genesis Health Care employs over 36,000 people, each one dedicated to the delivery of quality health care to the residents and patients of their centers. More than 200 skilled nursing centers and assisted living communities are located in 13 eastern states, with healthcare providers in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Genesis Healthcare is headquartered in downtown Kennett Square, Pennsylvania – a historic borough located southwest of Philadelphia and about 20 minutes northwest of Wilmington, Delaware.