Seniors

For Caregivers

Taking Responsibility

How do you know when it’s time to step in and take responsibly for another person’s care and become their caregiver? There's no easy answer. For one thing, caregiving is not easily done from a long distance. You also need to know the person’s health and behavior over time, so you can spot changes and problems. Caregiving can be difficult, but more of us are facing it every year and a lot of help is available.

• Caregiving support groups exist to help you cope. Call Eldersouce at 585-325-2800 or Lifespan at 585-244-8400 for a caregiver consultation to identify needs, get supportive counseling, and help coordinate a care plan.
• The New York State Office for the Aging has lots of good advice including tips on hiring a caregiver.

No one really wants to give up their independence, so many of the issues surrounding caregiving can be very delicate. Many times, one of the first issues to arise is that of driving; it's often hard for seniors to realize when they need assistance driving or should not be driving at all. For good information on seniors and driving, see our section on senior driver evaluation and rehabilitation.

When Caregiving is More Than Companionship

Because of the normal aging process, many seniors have more difficulty doing simple tasks they once took for granted. If you’re still not sure if you’d be a good caregiver, think about the seven critical areas where seniors may need help, and then honestly consider if you can help in them.