TAMPA, Fla. — More than 48 million Americans provide care to a family member so they can live independently, and it can be a tough job. They’re tasked with medical care, cooking meals, bathing their loved ones and providing transportation.
“This is Ernie’s senior year picture. A pretty dapper-looking dude,” said Yvonne Casares, looking at old photos of her husband. Yvonne is a caregiver to her husband, Ernie.
Ernie has Parkinson’s disease and dementia. “And there’s no cure. There’s nothing you can do. He’s very forgetful,” said Yvonne.
It’s far from an easy job.
“Trust me, there are times whenever you just have lost all patience and you say, ‘Okay, I’m done. I need 15 minutes. Sit there, don’t get up,' and you go and just kind of chill for a minute,” said Yvonne.
Due to how expensive long-term care facilities can be, Yvonne does this 24/7 job herself.
“You do it because you love them,” said Yvonne as she began to get overwhelmed with emotion
It’s estimated that there are about 2.7 million caregivers in Florida.
“Often, what we hear from caregivers is that they had to take time off from work and sometimes step out of the workforce to provide care for an aging parent,” said Jeff Johnson with AARP. Johnson said those caregivers provide $40 billion a year in unpaid services.
“Unpaid caregivers are the unsung heroes of our modern society,” said Ann Marie Winter with the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas.
They provide services to caregivers like respite care so that caregivers can get out of the house and have a little free time. They also have support groups, but there’s a waitlist for many of their services.
“Reach out to us before they need those services. Get on that waitlist so that when a spot does become available, they can access the service,” said Winter.
“Caregivers frequently, the research shows, pass away before the loved ones that they’re caring for because they’re not taking time to care for themselves,” said Katie Parkison, who is with the Senior Connection Center.
They’re trying to make life easier for caregivers by providing services. One of those unique services is providing a realistic stuffed animal that often distracts and preoccupies people with dementia.
“My mom was prone to wandering, and she would get antsy," said Patty, who was a caregiver to her mom. "We’d give her her cat, and she was convinced it was a real cat, and it’s so life-like, it’s pretty amazing."
As for Yvonne, here’s her advice for young adults: “Start not only thinking about your retirement benefits that are coming up but also think about long-term care. There’s insurance policies out there that you can purchase for a small amount right now.”
For more information, head to the following websites: agingcarefl.org or seniorconnectioncenter.org
