Caregiver Support

If you provide care to a loved one or friend, we understand that there are times when you may need support to manage your care giving responsibilities. You may already have help from other family members, friends, or an outside agency -- or you may be doing this alone. Regardless of your support system, we understand the need to coordinate the right kind of care at the right time. This may range from a daily phone call, to providing hands-on care; or from assisting with shopping, to preparing meals; or from providing transportation to the doctor’s office, to seeking emergency care. Care giving tasks can be as unique as the individuals who need them, and there may come a time when the care your loved one needs may be more than you are able to provide.

Until that time comes, it is important for you to develop a support system which may include family members, physicians, a spiritual counselor, close friends or neighbors.

It will also be helpful to build a library of resources to help you in the care giving process. The “At Home Caregiving” section below may be of help in this regard.

In the event you are considering other options for care, you may wish to review the information in our “Difficult Decisions” section. While many people experience guilt when they think about long-term care for their loved one, this is normal and you can work through it. Keeping your focus on the best interests of your loved one will help you make the difficult choices. With the right information in-hand, you will be able to lessen the anxiety by making an educated decision when the time is right.

Please note that information contained in this website is not intended to replace the advice of a physician or other medical professional. We suggest that you involve a physician in your care giving process so that a comprehensive plan of care can be developed to meet the unique needs of your loved one.

At-Home Caregiving

If you plan on continuing your caregiving responsibilities at home, you may be interested in these publications from our Caregiver’s Corner series.

• Medication Management for the At-Home Caregiver
• Pain Management for the At-Home Caregiver
• Post-Hospitalization Options in a Skilled Nursing Facility
• Stress Management Tips for the At-Home Caregiver
• Safety Tips for the At-Home Caregiver
• Decision Making Tips for the At-Home Caregiver
• Nutrition Management for the At-Home Caregiver
• Personal Medication Record
• Personal Services Directory

Difficult Decisions

The American Health Care Association reports that nearly half of all Americans will need long term care at some point in their lives. In fact, one in five over the age of 50 is at high risk of needing long-term care in the next twelve months. When the time comes to consider an alternative to at-home care giving, there are many decisions to be made. Pre-planning for such a decision can help ease the burden of guilt that is often experienced with placing a loved one in a long-term care setting.

Our admissions counselor is experienced in helping potential residents and their families understand their options, and to help decide whether a short or long term solution is best. If you are looking for peace of mind, and would like to discuss your situation, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We have helped hundreds of individuals, just like you, and would be pleased to offer you a helping hand.

Peace of mind comes from making an informed decision. We offer a variety of support materials, below, to help you in the decision making process – from deciding whether or not the time is right, to helping plan for admission day. If at any time you would like to talk to someone in person, please… just pick-up the phone and call us at (618) 548-4884. Our staff is available 24-hours a day and would be pleased to assist you in your time of need.

While most admissions require some advanced planning, when necessary and coordinated with a medical professional, we do take emergency admissions. If you find yourself in an unbearable situation, please give us a call and we will help determine whether an emergency admission is warranted, or assist with other options for relief.

Please feel free to print and reproduce any of the support materials below.

• How Do I Know It’s Time?
• Developing a Caregiving Plan
• Choosing a Nursing Facility
• Preparing for Admission Day