The Truth Behind Caregiving: Stats and Prognosis

The Truth Behind Caregiving - AmeriBest Home Care

A Caregiver Defined

Before we jump into the technical details, let’s take a moment to define what a caregiver really is and does.

In its basic form, caregiving is simply caring for the needs and wellbeing of another. This could be for any age- children, young adults, or seniors. And so, a caregiver is someone who provides this caregiving service for another individual.

Now, within the caregiving world, caregivers are divided into two categories regardless of the age of their recipients: volunteer caregivers and paid caregivers.

Volunteer caregivers are generally those who care for a family member and thus do not get paid.

Paid caregivers, on the other hand, are often professional health aides who require a salary or stipend to work.

However, as we’ll explain further on, you can actually be a caregiver for your family and get paid. Stay tuned!

The Facts Uncovered

  • In a study done in 2015, Americans were placed at around 34.2 million for the number of unpaid caregivers that provided service to adults aged 50 and older. Which is basically saying, that caregiving is in high demand, and yet not many caregivers are receiving compensation.
  • In 2013, the economic value of volunteer caregivers was placed at 470 billion dollars. That means, that the amount of work volunteer caregivers complete, as well as the type of work they provide, is worth billions. And yet, many caregivers don’t know that they can actually be getting paid for the valuable services they provide.
  • Females make up most of the caregiving world. Although the number of male caregivers is on the rise, most of the work still currently lands on women’s shoulders. Women often spend more time caregiving for family and clients than men do. This means that women have less time to commit to themselves and/or a full-time job.

Family Members Turned Caregivers

Unfortunately, we are living through a time where there are simply not enough caregivers to go around. Many place this crisis on the fact that now most baby boomers are reaching an age where they need more at-home health care.

For this reason, many family members take up the role of primary caregiver for senior parents and loved ones, instead of hiring outside help. While caregiving is a wonderfully selfless job, if it’s done unpaid, it makes life a little harder on the caregiver.

When you’ve got a full-time job, kids, hobbies, and your own health to consider, it’s difficult to come home and give the rest of your energy to caregiving. Especially, if you’re pressed for money and time.

A simple solution to this: Get paid to be a caregiver.

Getting Paid to be a Caregiver with AmeriBest

It’s no secret- you can get paid to be a caregiver.

At AmeriBest, we’ll help you find the position that suits you best.

Then, we’ll train you!

No stress, no worry.

We want you to be the very best caregiver you can be. And we’ll give you all the tools, education, and experience necessary to accomplish that goal. But most importantly, we’ll get you the money you deserve.

With the AmeriBest training program, you’re not just learning any old task. You’re learning a career. And in doing so, you’re becoming a part of a caregiving family that has your best interests at heart.

When you’re ready to get paid for the work you do, give us a call at 1800-HOMECARE or 215-925-3313.

Keeping Up with New Year’s Resolutions for Seniors

Keeping Up with New Year’s Resolutions for Seniors - AmeriBest Home Care

They may seem like nonsense, but New Year’s resolutions actually hold a lot of power.
Especially, for seniors.

New Year’s resolutions are important because they set your sights on the future. They keep you moving forward and focused on a better life- even if the past has been a difficult one.

As seniors get older, they often get lost in regrets and “what ifs.”
When that happens, they can easily find themselves stuck in a spiral that takes them deeper and deeper into the angst of past events.

And, that’s where New Year’s resolutions come in.

New Year’s resolutions give seniors hope. They can pull seniors out of the deepest of spirals by shifting their perspectives from a lost past to an attainable future.

So, this bright 2020, help your senior make a powerful New Year’s resolution that will last.

Easy New Year’s Resolutions for You and Your Senior

On the other hand, choosing a resolution that’s too easy will make you feel bored and unfulfilled.

That’s why the best tip for keeping new year’s resolutions is choosing the right resolution from the get-go.

Some good new year’s resolutions for you and your senior to try are:

  1. Exercise 1.5 hours a week
  2. Volunteer once a month
  3. Read 13 books
  4. Host family night every 2 weeks
  5. Start and finish 50% of a project you’ve been pushing off
  6. Smile when you see a stranger

Making New Year’s Resolutions Last Longer

It’s easy to make New Year’s resolutions. It’s harder to keep them and make them last longer than January.

However, there are a few tips and tricks that can really help you stick to your guns, and fulfill your resolution. The best one we can tell you today is: Schedule a time.

Telling ourselves “I’ll do it later,” is one of the biggest traps we fall for, because, we all know that later all too easily turns into never.

The best way to dodge this fall is by scheduling a specific time to do your resolution. If it’s a broader resolution, you can plan one day a week that you’ll be more cognizant of it. If it’s a specific resolution, you can plan a more specific time.

You wouldn’t miss an appointment you make with others, so don’t miss an appointment you make with yourself.

Helping Your Seniors Stick to Their Resolutions

If you notice that your senior is having trouble sticking to his or her New Year’s resolution, there are a few ways in which you can help.

First, check-in on your senior’s progress. We all need reminders every now and then, and we all need a little peer pressure – the good kind. Call up your senior and politely ask, “how’s the resolution going?” It might be enough to get them going again.

If that doesn’t work, the second thing you can do is offer to join them in their resolution. You don’t have to join in every time, but once and a while could really help your senior stay motivated.

And lastly, give encouraging words. If your senior is falling behind, remind them why they chose that resolution in the first place. Stress the fact that it’s never too late to get back on track.