Are You a Caregiver for Someone 60 or Older?
You are a Caregiver if you are...
- Performing tasks to help with shopping, errands, transportation, bills, or home repairs.
- Providing personal caresuch as bathing, laundry, toileting or dressing.
- Changing roles and beginning to think of your care receiver as depending on you for making decisions for them.
- Seeking assistance and formal services of others to stay with or provide care for your care receiver.
- Considering changes in your work or living arrangements: relocating or adjusting your work schedule to allow you more time with your care receiver.
- Considering long term care placement: trying to make a decision about a nursing home and how involved to be day-by-day.
- Coping with loss and dealing with difficult adjustments in your relationship.
Caregiving can be costly...
- Your relationship with your family may suffer. Your family and friends may feel left out.
- Your physical and mental health may be compromised.
- Your job may not receive all the attention it should.
- Your social life is diminished.
- You may feel you never have a moment to yourself.
- Your coping methods are becoming destructive: overeating, smoking, and drinking.
- Guilt is the most common feeling.
Utah Caregiver Support Program
Purpose
- To provide information, assistance, support, caregiver training, and counseling to:
- caregivers of adults 60 years or older;
- caregivers 60 years of age who are caring for persons with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities; and
- grandparents or older individuals who are relative caregivers of a child not more than 18 years of age.
- To provide respite and supplemental services to caregivers of adults 60 years or older who are unable to perform at least two activities of daily living without substantial human assistance, including verbal reminding, physical cueing, or supervision.
Eligibility
Services are provided to family or informal caregivers.
Priority shall be given to caregivers providing care and support to individuals, 60 years of age or older, who are in greatest social and economic need (with particular attention to low-income older individuals) providing care and support to persons with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities.
Respite and supplemental services are determined by using the Division of Aging and Adult Services approved assessment tool.
For information on services and activities in your area, please contact your nearest Area Agency on Aging.
