It's National Family Caregivers Month
Connecticut Community Care, Inc. salutes all caregivers for the important role they play in the caregiving team. The month of November is National Caregiver Month, a time to recognize family caregivers and give thanks for their support and caring.
Online, November 15, 2010 (Newswire.com) - This month is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to recognize family caregiver and give thanks for their support, time and selfless caring. A caregiver, as defined in Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a person who provides direct care (for children, elders or younger individuals with chronic illness.)
More than 73 percent of family caregivers are employed full- or part-time, according to the 2009 National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP national caregiver survey. Therefore, the majority of family caregivers must juggle work, caregiving duties and their own family life. This can be extremely stressful with 62% of caregivers saying that they have to make some kind of work accommodation, such as going in late or leaving early, taking leave or even dropping back to part-time (source: The MetLife study, Sons at Work: Balancing Employment and Eldercare).
There are many valuable resources and choices available to family caregivers looking for help. Navigating the health care maze alone can be confusing, frustrating and time-consuming. However, Connecticut Community Care, Inc. (CCCI), a statewide nonprofit care management organization with more than 30 years of experience helping people of all ages, abilities and incomes to live at home, can guide family caregivers along the long-term health care path. CCCI works with families to identify choices and provide services to help loved ones live how and where they choose - for the majority, this choice is at home.
"Many caregivers have told us, 'I wished I had known about CCCI sooner, it would have saved me a lot of time and headaches.' By having CCCI in their lives, family caregivers are no longer overwhelmed with questions and trying to find answers. CCCI works with them, exploring options that work best for all involved in the care plan. It truly is a team effort," says Ursula Daiber, CCCI public relations and communications manager.
CCCI is one of three partners in the North Central Aging and Disability Resource Center- Community Choices. People living in the Hartford area can contact the North Central Community Choices, which offers free unbiased information by trained counselors to support; assists and educates individuals about community resources and services; advocates on behalf of consumers and provides options counseling on long-term planning and non-financial short-term support. For answers, call 1-800-994-9422, ext. 251.
Connecticut Community Care, Inc. (CCCI) identifies choices and provides services to help people of all ages, abilities and incomes to live at home. The organization is an access agency to the CT Home Care Programs in 124 towns in the north central, northwest and eastern regions of the state. CCCI's private division, Care Management Associates, serves those who do not qualify for the home care programs. Each year, more that 12,000 elders, individuals with disabilities and their families are served through CCCI's regional offices located in Wethersfield, Watertown, Franklin and its corporate office in Bristol.