Some Information About Caregivers |
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Some Information About Caregivers
Illness, disability, aging and mental health issues all contribute to the need for caregivers. A caregiver can be a professional or unpaid loved one, family member or friend who has assumed responsibility for some aspect of an individual’s well being. This can include help with day-to-day tasks, nursing them through illness, emotional support or financial management. Caregivers cross every economic, cultural, ethnic and religious category. Caregiving responsibilities are equal opportunity. If you don’t become a caregiver, you might be cared for or care about someone else who is a caregiver. So, it is crucial that everyone knows how to access support and to be a support. Statistics from AARP portray the average caregiver as a female in her mid forties. She is often part of the sandwich generation who cares for children at home at the same time that she serves a caregiver for someone with health concerns. Please note that the number of male caregivers, including adult sons providing nursing care for their parents (including mothers), is growing. The National Family Caregiver Alliance lists the number of caregivers per year as 50 million. The National Family Caregiver Alliance lists Pennsylvania as the 5th largest state in terms of caregivers with over 1, 263,393 caregivers. According to the Pennsylvanian State Department on Aging, 20% of PA’s population is age 60 or older. In 2020, 25% of the population in Pennsylvania will be aged 60 or older. (http://www.aging.state.pa.us/aging/cwp/view.asp?a=560&Q=254754&PM=1) |