Bonnie and Wallace (2003) describe elderly abuse as intentional acts that harm and create serious harm to the elderly. A paid caregiver and even their own family members cause these acts. The elder are being abused every single day. According to the National Center of Elder Abuse in 2010 there were 5,961,568 elderly abuse cases in The United States. The elder are being financially exploited, physically, emotionally abused and neglected. There are many solutions to helping the elderly, one of the best solutions is respite care.
Many elderly are taken care of by their family members. It is easy to get overwhelmed when caring for a loved one. A caregiver has their own family to take care of, on top of caring for their loved one. It is very overwhelming when someone is being pulled in every direction. Many of these caregivers start to neglect or abuse their loved ones. There are many solutions to help give the caregiver a break and avoid abusing the elderly.
Respite care are short-term breaks that can relieve stress, restore energy and promote balance in your life. This care is provided to caregivers who are with an elderly person twenty four hours a day. Respite care can range from just asking a neighbor to a state government funded program. The elderly must apply for the program and they will be contacted to let them know if they qualify. The program offers relief to the caregivers for a couple of hours in order for them to do some errands or just have time for themselves.
Respite care ranges from State government funded programs, private insurance, private pay, and volunteers and nonprofit organizations. State government programs include, home health agencies, adult daycares, and through the Department of Aging and Disabilities Services. These programs offer a limited amount of hours to help the ongoing caregiver. The state approves the elderly an amount of hours for the whole year and it is up to the caregiver to decide how to use these hours throughout the year. The caregiver can request the hours during the weekend or during the week.
Private insurance can provide support for caregivers. Some private insurance will cover the cost of adult daycares, home health agencies and nursing homes. All these options can give the caregiver some time to rest and run some errands. Caregivers can also pay for their own aide. It is very costly to hire someone through private pay. It usually cost anywhere between $15.00 an hour to $25.00 an hour to hire someone through an agency and $8.00 an hour to $15.00 an hour to hire someone yourself.
Volunteer respite is simply asking a neighbor or a friend to watch your loved one while you run some errands. Taking turns with family members caring for your loved one would be ideal but sometimes everyone’s schedules contradict. There are also nonprofit organizations that help with respite care. The Alzheimer’s Association provides respite care to Alzheimer patients. They have volunteers that go to the house and watch your love one while you watch a movie or water your garden. There are many more nonprofit associations that can help with respite care.
Older Americans, especially the frail and vulnerable, deserve to live with the dignity and respect. “Learn more, speak out, leave a legacy” (An Age for Justice) is what we need to do to protect our elderly. Respite care provides the usual caregiver some time to rest, run some errands, watch a movie or for whatever alone time the caregiver might need. Respite care is essential to helping caregivers not lose their temper or their sanity. Elders deserve the same respect like everyone else. One day we too will be old and facing these same problem.
References
Bonnie, R, & Wallace, R (Eds.). (2003). Elder mistreatment: Abuse, neglect and exploitation in an aging America. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
Alzheimer’s Association retrieved from https://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-caregiver-respite.asp
BIFOCAL, Stiegel, Lori A., March-April 2010. Vol. 31, No. 4. “Elder Abuse Prevention: Elder Justice Act Becomes Law, But Victory Is Only Partial”. Retrieved July 22, 2012 from: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/aging/PublicDocuments/eja_act_art_prtl.authcheckdam.pdf
National Center on Elder Abuse http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/index.aspx
Help Guide retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/elder/respite_care.htm
KCET retrieved from http://www.kcet.org/shows/yourturntocare/ask/respite-care.html
Many elderly are taken care of by their family members. It is easy to get overwhelmed when caring for a loved one. A caregiver has their own family to take care of, on top of caring for their loved one. It is very overwhelming when someone is being pulled in every direction. Many of these caregivers start to neglect or abuse their loved ones. There are many solutions to help give the caregiver a break and avoid abusing the elderly.
Respite care are short-term breaks that can relieve stress, restore energy and promote balance in your life. This care is provided to caregivers who are with an elderly person twenty four hours a day. Respite care can range from just asking a neighbor to a state government funded program. The elderly must apply for the program and they will be contacted to let them know if they qualify. The program offers relief to the caregivers for a couple of hours in order for them to do some errands or just have time for themselves.
Respite care ranges from State government funded programs, private insurance, private pay, and volunteers and nonprofit organizations. State government programs include, home health agencies, adult daycares, and through the Department of Aging and Disabilities Services. These programs offer a limited amount of hours to help the ongoing caregiver. The state approves the elderly an amount of hours for the whole year and it is up to the caregiver to decide how to use these hours throughout the year. The caregiver can request the hours during the weekend or during the week.
Private insurance can provide support for caregivers. Some private insurance will cover the cost of adult daycares, home health agencies and nursing homes. All these options can give the caregiver some time to rest and run some errands. Caregivers can also pay for their own aide. It is very costly to hire someone through private pay. It usually cost anywhere between $15.00 an hour to $25.00 an hour to hire someone through an agency and $8.00 an hour to $15.00 an hour to hire someone yourself.
Volunteer respite is simply asking a neighbor or a friend to watch your loved one while you run some errands. Taking turns with family members caring for your loved one would be ideal but sometimes everyone’s schedules contradict. There are also nonprofit organizations that help with respite care. The Alzheimer’s Association provides respite care to Alzheimer patients. They have volunteers that go to the house and watch your love one while you watch a movie or water your garden. There are many more nonprofit associations that can help with respite care.
Older Americans, especially the frail and vulnerable, deserve to live with the dignity and respect. “Learn more, speak out, leave a legacy” (An Age for Justice) is what we need to do to protect our elderly. Respite care provides the usual caregiver some time to rest, run some errands, watch a movie or for whatever alone time the caregiver might need. Respite care is essential to helping caregivers not lose their temper or their sanity. Elders deserve the same respect like everyone else. One day we too will be old and facing these same problem.
References
Bonnie, R, & Wallace, R (Eds.). (2003). Elder mistreatment: Abuse, neglect and exploitation in an aging America. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
Alzheimer’s Association retrieved from https://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-caregiver-respite.asp
BIFOCAL, Stiegel, Lori A., March-April 2010. Vol. 31, No. 4. “Elder Abuse Prevention: Elder Justice Act Becomes Law, But Victory Is Only Partial”. Retrieved July 22, 2012 from: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/aging/PublicDocuments/eja_act_art_prtl.authcheckdam.pdf
National Center on Elder Abuse http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/index.aspx
Help Guide retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/elder/respite_care.htm
KCET retrieved from http://www.kcet.org/shows/yourturntocare/ask/respite-care.html