New outreach effort targets caregivers in the workplace

Senior Connections, The Capital Area Agency on Aging, recently announced a new outreach program specifically designed to help employed caregivers find the resources they need to care for their aging loved ones while maintaining a healthy balance between family and the workplace. The Senior Connections CareCompass™: Connecting Caregivers to Resources outreach program consists of easy-to-use pop-up windows on the Senior Connections Web site located at www.senior connections-va.org, brochures and posters available through employer members of the Workplace Partners for Eldercare initiative (www.employedcaregivers.org) and GRTC bus card advertising.

"With one in every four employees caring for an aging loved one on a regular basis, it's critical that they identify their needs and get connected with available resources," according to Thelma Bland Watson, executive director of Senior Connections. "Our goal is to help eliminate some of the stresses for employed caregivers that can come with taking care of those they love who are no longer able to adequately care for themselves. Our CareCompass will help point them in the right direction to get what they need most."

The Senior Connections CareCompass was created, Watson explains, to support the United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg's recent initiative to help people recognize that they are caregivers. The next step, she says, is to find caregiving resources through Senior Connections.

There are four critical service areas that caregivers in the greater Richmond area have indicated to be the most important as they manage their own lives while caring for their aging loved ones: respite breaks, temporary home care, adult day care and transportation. Respite breaks provide temporary relief for the primary caregiver through short-term stays at facilities, assisted living or nursing homes, or through a temporary caregiver who comes into the home to provide care while the primary caregiver takes a break. Temporary home care services take place in the home and may include health care provided by professionals, help with daily tasks such as dressing and eating, housekeeping and social visits. Adult day care provides daytime care and activities for older adults. Transportation services can include rides to and from medical appointments, day care and other destinations. Some eligibility requirements may apply to any of these services.

Further information is available through Senior Connections CareCompass at www.seniorconnections-va.org or by calling (800) 989-2286.