Community Resources: A Guide to Local Caregiver Support Services
By Maureen Rulison
Caregiver Support and Resources, LLC
As care partners, we understand that providing great elder care should be a collaborative effort. It does take a village – especially as our loved ones approach life’s end stages. Local caregiver support services can shoulder pretty much any burden. So here’s a guide to what you should look for while building a great life-care plan.
In over 25 years as a professional life-care planner, I’ve embraced as allies many agencies and fellow professionals who serve critical roles in the continuum of care. While care partnering often starts at home, many communities offer a wealth of resources to meet the diverse needs of our loved ones.
Let’s explore some local caregiver support services I hold dear in the Tampa/Clearwater, FL areas.
Local Caregiver Support Services & Resources in Greater Tampa, FL
I’ve directly worked with or provided referrals to many of these services for years. They’re not only colleagues, but also friends. They genuinely care. They’re experts who are committed to guiding with grace and compassion.
These services include:
- Home Care
- Respite Care
- Domestic Services
- Hospice
- Counseling
- Spiritual Care
- Living Transitions & Real Estate
- Legal & Estate Planning
- Life-Care Planning
Let’s alleviate some of your burdens. Getting help only improves the quality of care we provide.
Home Care
Professional agencies specializing in home care and medical assistance provide many services to support caregivers. I recommend my friends at Bayshore Home Care, which mobilizes a team of care professionals to assist individuals and families.
Home care services may include (but aren’t limited to) personal care, medication management, meal preparation, cleaning and transportation. And sometimes companionship alone is the perfect medicine. Home care professionals offer expert assistance tailored to your loved one’s specific needs, allowing peace of mind while attending to other responsibilities or addressing your self care via a much-needed break.
Respite Care
Speaking of taking a break, caring for a loved one is physically and emotionally demanding. I know from both personal and professional experience that being a care partner is the most stressful job out there.
Respite care provides temporary relief to caregivers by offering short-term care for their loved ones while you take time to refill your cup. Whether it’s for a few hours, days or even a week or more, respite care services allow caregivers to rest, recharge and tend to their own well-being. Consider it as an adult day care that can be provided at a facility or at home.
Domestic Services
Sometimes we just need a little help around the house. You’re busy being a compassionate and dutiful care partner – planning outings, coordinating doctor appointments, sorting meds, etc. Day-to-day tasks like household chores and meal preparation consume loads of time and energy for care partners, many of whom feel most effective when they’re directly administering care and comfort to their loved one.
If you’re seeking local caregiver support services that tackle homemaking tasks, I recommend Seniors Helping Seniors.
Hospice Care
We always recommend considering hospice care and other end-of-life preparations early in the life-care planning process. As a loved one approaches death, so many needs and sobering realities come to the forefront more quickly than ever anticipated. Hospice delivers comfort care in a variety of ways – from severe pain management to grief counseling and spiritual guidance.
Our friends at Empath Health provide everything needed in a hospice agency … and more.
Counseling
Caring for an aging loved one arouses powerful emotions and challenges. This is true for care partners and care recipients alike. While most consider counseling as an end-of-life experience addressing grief. But counseling services offer support and guidance at every step in the care journey – for anyone and everyone involved.
Professional counselors experienced in caregiving can help navigate emotional complexities, provide coping strategies, and foster better communication within the care partner team. Having someone to talk to – to unload emotions and burdens – is always a great outlet.
Spiritual Care
In a similar vein, many individuals and care partner teams have deeply seated religious and spiritual convictions. The soul needs nourishment, and congregations and other local caregiver support services are happy to oblige.
Spiritual care provides comfort, solace and guidance to individuals and their caregivers, nurturing a sense of connection and support during good times and bad. It helps to make sense of deep existential questions and afterlife theories. Often overlooked in the continuum of care, it’s a vital resource for so many, regardless of faith affiliation or cultural background
Living Transitions & Real Estate Services
While many of us aim to live at home as long as possible, the reality is that more than one-third of American adults will reside in an assisted-living or nursing facility. That path often involves a series of downsizing moves, selling former homes and properties, and other living transitions and logistics.
Real estate services specializing in senior living can assist in finding appropriate housing options. Our friend Q the Realtor is the PERFECT guide to the most appropriate senior-living situations including independent living communities, assisted living facilities and memory care residences.
Our loved ones deserve to feel at home. Home At Last Senior Placement Services can help to secure ideal living situations, while also helping to navigate the complexities of healthcare and moving logistics that can be overwhelming for care partner teams.
Legal & Estate Planning
Having legal and financial affairs in order is worth its weight in gold. Well, maybe not gold, but definitely worth its weight in avoiding uncertainty and protecting assets for future generations.
But legal aspects of caregiving – such as advance care directives, power of attorney and estate planning – are almost always very complex. That’s where you need a great estate law firm like Peebles & Gracy. Experts like Andrew Gracy guide individuals and care partner teams through the legal processes and ensure all necessary documents are prepared to protect interests, wishes and well-being through end of life – and beyond.
Life-Care Planning
Last (but certainly not least), IT’S US! Caregiver Support and Resources, LLC has over 25 years of experience with all aspects of life-care planning. Consider us an intermediary between and among ALL OF THESE local caregiver support services. We prepare a holistic, overarching plan with a team-based approach that factors all needs for your loved one, you and other care partners.
In addition, we provide Medicaid & VA eligibility planning, Board-certified Patient Advocacy, educational opportunities and other referral services.
Let’s Find the Right Local Caregiver Support Services for Your Elder Care Needs
Don’t navigate the caregiving journey alone! Utilize the caregiver support services and resources available in your community. I can attest from thousands of life-care planning clients, the extra support makes a life-altering difference in your care partner capacity and experience.
By tapping into the community resources available in the Tampa and Clearwater, FL areas, caregivers can access a range of services that can enhance the care they provide and alleviate significant burdens. If you need help, contact me here and let’s chat about your needs!
