New York News Connection
| December 10, 2014 | Available files: mp3 wav jpg |
Mike Clifford Longman
NEW YORK - The more than 4 million family caregivers in New York can be so busy caring for others that, during the holidays, they end up feeling isolated and alone. advocates say.
Whether they are caring for a family member, neighbor or friend, said Laura Palmer, associate state director of advocacy for AARP New York, these caregivers often don't know when their next break will come. But now, when they do take time out, they can find support at a new website for caregivers.
"Whether it's 2:00 in the morning or 11:00 at night," she said, "the Internet is 24/7, just like family caregivers. They can really find a place to connect with other people who have something in common with them."
Palmer said there are dozens of stories and photos of New York caregivers already posted on the I Heart Caregivers website, along with many more from around the nation. The site includes caregiving tips, resources and information about pending legislation. There's also a spot to share your own photo and story.
Palmer said family caregivers often provide a crucial link in making sure that a patient has a successful discharge from the hospital. She said a bill pending in Albany - Senate Bill 7676, the "Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable Act, or CARE Act - focuses on getting that help.
"It would ask the hospital to offer some basic training to the caregiver if there are aftercare tasks," she said, "for instance, taking care of a wound, or maybe a change in diet, or managing medication."
The measure also would allow patients to designate a caregiver, and would require hospitals to notify the caregiver of that patient's plan prior to discharge or transfer to another facility.
More information is online at AARP.org/IHeartCaregivers.