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Services for independent living are available to help people stay in their home longer than they would be able to otherwise. Williams Lifts provides one of those types of services through mobility equipment, which I will go into in more detail later.

For the most part, this article will shine a light on other types of services for independent living– such as independent living skills training, in-home aids, and agencies that can provide independent living resources. Here is a look at each of these types of services.

An Overview of Services for Independent Living

Independent Living Skills Training

Independent living skills training is designed to help people increase their self-reliance and independence. Through various training programs, individuals can maximize their ability to lead happy and productive lives in their own homes and communities.

Training programs are typically developed to meet the specific needs of an individual, which is why it’s important to first establish goals that should be achieved through training. Training goals could include, but are certainly not limited to:   

• Learning how to create a budget, manage money, and establish a routine for paying bills.
• Improving household management skills such as meal planning, cooking, safety, and personal hygiene.
• Understanding one’s rights as a consumer and becoming more assertive when exercising those rights.
• Utilizing community transportation and other available services.

Training can take place one-on-one in an individual’s home. Alternatively, group training programs are also available which come with the added benefit of regular social activity.

Independent Living Aids

In-home aids are designed to help individuals do more on their own in daily home life. From protecting personal safety to performing tasks, independent living aids can help people accomplish more with less assistance from others. Examples of in-home aids include:

• Bathroom Aids: Safety bars to hold onto in slippery areas, bath and shower chairs to prevent falls, raised toilet seats for easier sitting and standing.
• Bedroom Aids: Rollaway bedside tables, bedside rails, dressing sticks.
• General Living Aids: Pill organizers, reaching sticks, safety alarms.

Thanks to advancements in connected technology, in-home aids are a rapidly developing product category right now. Knowing how to use a modern day smartphone can open up a world of new options. Learning how to do something as simple as making video calls can vastly improve quality of life when aging in place.

Independent Living Agencies

Individual states and communities have their own independent living agencies that are dedicated to helping elderly and disabled people live independently in their own home. People can turn to these agencies for resources, peer support, advocacy, and transition services.

Mobility Aids

Mobility aids, such as ramps and stairlifts, can be installed in and around one’s home to help individuals move around more freely and overcome obstacles. One of the key services for independent living provided by Williams Lifts is sales and installation of such equipment.

Alternatively, people can rent equipment from us on a month-to-month basis. This also includes installation and removal of equipment. Renting is an ideal option when you’re not yet ready to buy, or only need the equipment for a limited period of time. For more information, please look into our stairlift rentals.

The National Family Caregiver Support Program is dedicated to assisting caregivers with grants and funding so they can care for older adults in their home as long as possible. It has been around since 2000, and funding is allocated to states based on their share of the population age 70 and over.

Caregivers can turn to the National Family Caregiver Support Program when they need help with:   

• Acquiring information about how to be a family caregiver
• Gaining access to services
• Individual counseling, organization of support groups, and caregiver training
• Respite care
• Supplemental service

Services provided by the National Family Caregiver Support Program have been shown to reduce caregiver depression, anxiety, and stress thereby extending the length of their care.

Who is Eligible for the National Family Caregiver Support Program?

Specific types of caregivers are eligible to receive services through the NFCSP, as of the 2016 Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. They include:

• Caregivers, including adult family members, providing care to individuals 60 years of age and older.
• Caregivers, including adult family members, providing care to individuals of any age with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.
• Non-parent relatives age 55 and older providing care to children under the age of 18
• Parents and relatives, age 55 and older, providing care to adults ages 18-59 with disabilities.

In order to receive access to available programs and services, family caregivers of elderly are asked to present their unique needs to the National Family Caregiver Support Program. Available programs and services vary among states and communities. The most frequently requested services include:   

• Access Assistance Services: Helps caregivers locate services from a variety of private and voluntary agencies.
• Counseling and Training Services: Provides caregivers with counseling, peer support groups, and family caregiver training to help cope with the stress that comes with caregiving.
• Respite Care Services: Provides temporary relief from caregiving responsibilities, either at home or in an institutional setting.

Services provided by the NFCSP have proven to be effective at helping older adults live at home longer. Caregivers who have received access to services report that the services helped them to become a better caregiver— being able to provide care for a longer period of time than would have been possible otherwise.

In Summary

There is no denying that being a family caregiver is a tough job, but it doesn’t have to be done alone. Support programs and services exist in every state because it’s necessary to care for the caregivers as well. Selfless caregivers are honored every year during national family caregiver’s month, but rest assured that support is offered year-round.

Looking after a caregiver’s well-being is of the utmost importance because a healthy caregiver means the care recipient can stay in their own home for up to three times longer. Never neglect your own self-care in the pursuit of caring for loved ones, because your physical and mental health can affect theirs as well. Help exists for a reason.

If you found this article helpful, you might also appreciate our article on self-care tips for caregivers.

November is National Family Caregivers Month, which is a month dedicated to recognizing and honoring family caregivers across the nation.

Every year a different theme is selected for National Family Caregivers Month by the Caregiver Action Network. The theme for 2017 is “Caregiving Around the Clock.”

National Family Caregivers Month was established to:

• Raise awareness of issues that are unique to family caregivers
• Celebrate the hard work of family caregivers
• Drum up support for family caregivers
• Educate family caregivers on how to take care of themselves.  

The theme of “Caregiving Around the Clock” recognizes those who make caregiving a 24/7 job. For some individuals, the job of being a caregiver never ends, such as those who provide care to seniors with Alzheimer’s or children with special needs.

Here are a number of eye-opening family caregivers statistics about those who provide care non-stop — or ‘around the clock’ if you will.

National Family Caregivers Month: Family Caregivers Statistics

Over 90 million Americans are family caregivers, with a large number having to provide care on a 24/7 basis.

Family caregivers are, on average, working mothers of school-aged children. This can make life difficult to balance, as they have to juggle work responsibilities with caregiving responsibilities.

It can be so difficult to balance that family caregivers often have to cut back on their hours at work, take unpaid leave, or even quit jobs completely.

Six out of ten family caregivers work either full-time or part-time jobs in addition to providing care to their loved one.

One of the greatest challenges faced by family caregivers, which most people don’t consider, is managing medications.

Being a family caregiver means much time is spent managing medications. Statistics show the family caregiver is the one managing medications 70% of the time, and perhaps, even more, depending on the severity of the condition.

Since medication is something that has to be taken throughout the day, managing a loved one’s meds can be an around the clock job in and of itself.

Family Caregivers Support

Caregiving can be a rewarding experience, but we must also recognize the potential risks of being an all-day caregiver. This can include stress, poor health, and burnout.

With one of the goals of family caregivers month being to educate caregivers on how to better themselves, the Caregiver Action Network (CAN) has some specific recommendations for around the clock care providers.

Nutrition is key to maintaining the strength, energy, and positivity required to provide all-day care. Caregivers should always set aside time to enjoy a good meal.

Moreover, CAN reminds caregivers to take time for themselves in general. It helps to rest and recharge in order to provide the same level of care day in and day out.

When a caregiver is in good health, the care recipient can stay in their own home up to three times longer.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that family caregivers should be honored year-round, but at the very least take time throughout the month of November to recognize and celebrate these individuals who dedicate their lives to providing care around the clock.