BALANCING THE BLESSINGS & STRESS

Balancing the Blessings & Stress of Caregiving

Valuable Support Resources from Florida Blue Medicare

Across the United States, November is National Family Caregivers month, highlighting one of the most important and undervalued responsibilities we all face at some point. As former first lady Roselyn Carter said, “There are four kinds of people in the world — those who have been caregivers, those who are caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers.”

Fifty-three million Americans provide a staggering $500 billion in unpaid care every year. With 10,000 Americans turning 70 every day, and another 10,000 turning 65 every day, millions more face the challenge of providing unpaid care every year.

We will all experience a period of decline if we're fortunate enough to live into old age. And just as Growing Bolder works to rebrand aging for active adults from a time of simply loss and limitation to one that can be filled with passion and purpose, we also need to redefine what's possible for the very old: the fragile, the weak, and those with all forms of dementia, Parkinson's or other diseases, as well as what is possible for those caring for them.

Far more can be done to take advantage of what remains instead of focusing solely on what's been lost. Caregiving can be frustrating at best and devastating to our health, finances and relationships at its worst. But it can also be one of life's greatest blessings. Regardless of where you are in the process, there are great resources available to help caregivers take better care of themselves, their loved ones and enjoy the rewards of caregiving.

7 Ways to Help Decrease or Manage Caregiver Stress

→ Learn ways to better help a loved one. Feeling more confident in one’s abilities can help improve overall outlook. Caregivers can get help through the Florida Blue Community Specialists at a local Florida Blue Center or by calling 877-352-5830.

→ Find local caregiving resources. Caregivers can visit the Florida Council on Aging website to connect to local Agencies on Aging.

→ Join a support group for caregivers. There are many online support groups. Go here to find resources in your area of Florida.

→ Ask for and accept help. Dividing up tasks and making a list help others see what needs to be done.

→ Set Limits. Navigating family dynamics can be difficult. Learn some tips from Florida Blue Medicare partner, Carallel.

→ Get organized. There’s a helpful booklet to help manage medical information at FloridaBlue.com/caregiver.

→ See your doctor for regular checkups.

Make sure to tell your doctor or nurse you are a caregiver and tell them about any symptoms of depression or sickness.

Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan can be an investment in your health and the health of your loved ones. Not only will you get preventive care at no cost, but you’ll also get the benefits that matter most, like vision, dental and hearing, and unexpected extras, like help around the house, support for caregivers, rides to the doctor and pharmacy at no extra cost, and more. Florida Blue Medicare members with a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan also have access to:

Papa, which offers 60 hours/year of in-home companion care and support via their Pals program — an $1,800 value in extra support services.

Carallel, which provides advice, support, and resources online and over the phone from a highly credentialed team of Care Advocates to listen and problem solve, coach and create caregiver support plans and solutions.

Simple things like consistently sleeping well, eating well and moving your body are important as well. Find pointers on how to improve each:

Getting enough sleep

Eating healthy foods

Exercising

Need more support? Talking to a mental health professional can make the difference between feeling lost and overwhelmed and experiencing a sense of calm.

→ Download meQuilibrium, an app available that helps users build stress management and resilience. Most members have this at no extra cost with their Florida Blue plan.

→ Visit FloridaBlue.com/answers/ your-mental-health-matters for more resources.

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