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Caregivers Wanted
According to the United States National Family Caregivers Association, "more than 50 million people provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend during any given year." An estimated 3.2 million caregivers are responsible for individuals who live in California.
Congress recognized a growing need for workers to balance employment and caregiving responsibilities when they enacted the Family and Medical Leave Act. Eligible employees are entitled to take up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leaving during any 12-month period for medical reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child, or for the care of a child, spouse, or parent who has a serious health condition.
Persons who depend on caregivers may not be not sick in the traditional sense. But they require assistance with activities of daily living (ADL) such as dressing, bathing, eating, toileting, getting in and out of a bed or chair, and walking. Family members, or professional (paid) caregivers can help the individual stay at home as long as possible.
Not every caregiver can meet the needs of a person with severe dementia. Alzheimer's patients may need to be protected from wandering. A gated residence such as a residential care facility for the elderly (RCFE), licensed by California Department of Social Service, may provide the right kind of protective environment.
Chronically ill patients may need medical care in addition to custodial care. Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) that are licensed by California Department of Health Services, can provide ongoing convalescent and rehabilitative care services that are beyond the capability of volunteer family members.
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Under construction.