CONTACT: Pamela D. Wilson +1 303-810-1816

Email:   Inquiry_For_Pamela@pameladwilson.com

Date: February 18, 2022

            Denver CO - Caregiving expert Pamela D. Wilson hosts the fourth in a series of Caregiver Livestream Events about family relationships and caring for aging parents.  Wilson's events are broadcast each month on her social media channels: YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Vimeo where viewers can watch the live event and replays of this and past caregiver speaking events. 

Caregiver Education: What Caregivers Need to Know

Questions answered during this month's Livestream respond to how adults can prepare for the challenges and unexpected events related to caring for themselves and others. Wilson shares real-life stories from more than 20 years of working with families and the elderly that relate to the issues and concerns voiced by vulnerable older adults and their caregivers.

Family care transitioning from raising children to caring for aging parents has similarities and contrasts. For example, how do adult children manage when aging parents refuse help?

Learn How Being a Caregiver Affects Family Relationships and Marriages

How does being a caregiver affect marital relationships? What should caregivers know about dealing with a lack of sleep, vacation time tending to the needs of aging parents, rapid changes in parents' health, balancing work and caregiving responsibilities, and paying for care costs?

Not every family care situation runs smoothly. Men and women approach caregiving responsibilities differently. Women are more likely to seek support while men are less likely to attend caregiver support groups, seek caregiver education, or eldercare counseling sessions. 

Family caregiving complications are many. For example, young children accept adult responsibilities to care for sick parents and care for their siblings. Bearing these responsibilities early in life negatively affects educational attainment, career success, and health. 

In addition, some parents unintentionally create situations of dependency by allowing adult children, who seem unable to live on their own, to continue to reside in the family home. When parents die, these children with few life skills become the financial and care responsibility of their siblings

Women Bear Health and Financial Risks from Caregiving Responsibilities

Add to these complications the financial risks women bear when leaving the workforce. Many women live in poverty in their retirement years after caring for everyone in the family.

Yet, few married couples discuss the likelihood of one spouse needing care before the other or make plans to ensure care for the surviving spouse. Men are more likely to die first, leaving spouses to care for themselves and become dependent on children, if they exist, for care and financial support. 

Women caregivers experience more health issues. Chronic stress from years of caregiving significantly affects the emotional and physical health of women. The result is that primary caregivers often have more health concerns than the persons for whom they care. 

Many Adult Children Sacrifice Their Lives to Care for Aging Parents

Additionally, many single adult children work full time and devote their lives to caring for aging parents while their siblings go on with their lives. Sacrificing friendships, hopes of marrying and having children are dreams that may never come true for these dedicated family caregivers.  

Caring for sick aging parents is more expensive than caregivers realize. For example, in-home care ranging between $30 and $50 per hour, while giving caregivers a break can quickly drain the bank accounts of parents. After learning that Medicare does not pay for all care expenses, family caregivers feel helpless because they are unaware of care options for ailing parents.  

Caregiver Education Offers Hope 

Yet, even with all of these challenges, hope exists for family caregivers. Learning to navigate family relationships, the healthcare system, and setting personal boundaries allow caregivers to feel less burdened by care responsibilities. 

Participating in education about health and navigating care allows caregivers to feel more in control of family care situations. Because so much of caregiving is a do-it-yourself job, caregivers need support today more than ever. Planning ahead to investigate options and plan for unexpected events is essential for all families. 

Caregivers watching this broadcast will learn why taking charge of health through preventative measures is a better option than leaving healthcare needs to chance. Wilson's Livestream broadcast motivates consumers to become educated about health and learn to advocate so that they can live more independently in their later years and be less reliant on family support. 

Wilson offers 1:1 eldercare consulting sessions by telephone or virtual call to help caregivers navigate through unexpected situations and to make the best decisions for the care of loved ones. 

Consumers Facing Healthcare Challenges Need a Voice and a Trusted Advisor

Wilson supports family caregivers, groups, and corporations worldwide by offering education for caregivers about managing, planning, and navigating health and aging issues. More about Wilson's online courses for elderly care, individual elder care consultations, caregiver support, webinars, speaking engagements, and brand collaborations are on her website www.pameladwilson.com. Pamela may also be contacted at +1 303-810-1816 or through the contact Me page on her website.

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