Kristin Mitchem, Caregiver; Hank Greenberg, State Director, AARP Maryland
November is National Family Caregivers Month.
More than 1.1 million Marylanders care for aging parents and spouses who want to stay at home, instead of costly institutions. These family caregivers provide unpaid services valued at about $8.1 billion annually. Kristen has cared for her father for several years. She says.
MITCHEM: MY FATHER HAS A MALIGNANT BRAIN TUMOR. I DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO HELP HIM STAY AT HOME – CLEANING HIS FEEDING TUBE, GIVING INJECTIONS, FLUSHING HIS PIC LINE AND ADMINISTERING MEDICINE. IT ISN’T EASY, BUT I WOULDN’T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.
This week, A-A-R-P launched I Heart Caregivers to collect stories like Kristen’s. AARP Maryland State Director Hank Greenberg says…
GREENBERG: OUR SILENT ARMY OF FAMILY CAREGIVERS HELPS SENIORS TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY, WITH DIGNITY, EACH AND EVERY DAY. WE WANT TO HONOR THESE UNSUNG HEROES – WHILE AT THE SAME TIME FIGHT TO GET THEM MORE SUPPORT, TRAINING, HELP AT HOME.
The organization will work to pass the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable – CARE – Act in the next legislative session.
For more go to A-A-R-P dot org slash I Heart Caregivers.