Across the United States last week, we took the opportunity to give thanks to all the amazing people and things in our lives. Whether you shared your thoughts around the Thanksgiving dinner table or simply took some quiet time to reflect or journal, those precious moments likely served as a reminder of the truly important things in life. With the spirit of Thanksgiving still very much alive this holiday season, we’d like to take a moment to express our deep gratitude to the professional and family caregivers sitting right at the heart of senior care in Hendersonville.
Professional Caregivers: The Backbone of Senior Care
Coming to terms with needing additional support with activities of daily living is often difficult for seniors and moving to residential assisted living can be even more daunting. Many seniors worry about losing their independence or freedom, and others simply fear the unknown. Professional caregivers like the wonderful staff at New Hope Senior Living offer a beacon of hope for aging adults, allowing them to live the life they love safely and without compromising their valued autonomy.
Whether they work in residential assisted living in TN, home health or another setting, professional caregivers quietly and consistently change lives each day. If you or a family member benefit from the work of a professional caregiver, you might have found yourself thinking of them during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Professional caregivers have a deep understanding of the struggles seniors face, and work tirelessly to grant them the rich and fulfilling retirement they truly deserve. In residential assisted living settings, seniors are surrounded by professional caregivers around the clock. This means they become much more than caregivers – they become close friends. And with their continued, 24/7 devotion to seniors, caregivers that go above and beyond have the power to completely transform lives.
Professional caregivers protect seniors when they’re at their most vulnerable. Adapting to needing help with personal care activities like using the bathroom, washing and dressing can be hard to accept, and letting a professional caregiver in requires remarkable trust. With their unrelenting compassion and drive to enhance the lives of seniors, professional caregivers strive to make this transition as easy as possible. Professional caregivers turn difficult situations into positive ones each and every day, and for that we are truly thankful.
National Family Caregivers Month
Across the United States in 2020, 53 million Americans provided unpaid care for a loved one, rising sharply from 43.5 million in 2015. The emotional, financial and social impacts of being a family caregiver can be huge. For example, many family caregivers find themselves sacrificing precious family time, relationships, hobbies and interests in order to meet their senior relative’s care needs. 70% of working caregivers also struggle to juggle their work life with caregiving responsibilities.
National Family Caregivers Month runs throughout November, and is dedicated to recognizing and addressing the issues family caregivers face. It’s also a great time to express our gratitude for the incredible work of the 1 in 5 individuals who are family caregivers in the US. Many of those who benefit from their care are seniors, meaning that with an aging population, family caregivers are of immense value on both a personal and societal level.
Family caregivers are truly exceptional individuals, highlighting the kindness and love of human nature in its purest form. With endless patience, compassion and courage, they battle through adversity to enrich their loved one’s life and give them the consistent care they deserve.
Working Together
Family and professional caregivers truly make an incredible team and, crucially, professional caregivers can grant family caregivers with the much-needed respite they deserve. As a senior relative’s needs increase, it’s not uncommon for family caregivers to become overwhelmed, or to feel they’re no longer able to give their loved one the care they require.
When this occurs and families turn to residential assisted living facilities or home health organizations for additional support, professional caregivers step in to relieve their burden. Knowing that their loved one is being cared for by a professional allows family caregivers to take much needed time for themselves.
Thanks to the support of professional caregivers, family caregivers are able to rest, relax, spend more time with children and partners and restart hobbies and activities they sacrificed to take on caregiving responsibilities. In this sense, professional caregivers can improve the quality of life of both the seniors they care for, and the burnt-out family caregivers who love them.
Taking Care of You
If you’re a professional or family caregiver, we recognize and appreciate your kindness, humility and dedication to the senior or seniors in your care. Many caregivers spend so much time dedicated to improving the lives of others that they forget to honor their own needs. As we head into the holiday season, make sure to take a moment to care for yourself.
5 Simple ways to Practice Self-Care as a Caregiver:
- Eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated.
- Take a few minutes to listen to a guided meditation or relaxing music.
- Set clear boundaries to prevent burnout.
- Find a support network (this could be friends, family members or a support group for family caregivers, for example.)
- Take a short walk to get some exercise and fresh air.
As a residential assisted living facility, we understand the daily lengths that both professional and family caregivers go to to improve seniors’ quality of life. At Thanksgiving and always, we’re truly grateful for your dedication and thank you for being a part of the New Hope Family.