Study by Nation's Leading Senior Care Provider Explores Sandwich Generation's Growing Concerns

June 6, 2017--PRNewswire/ -- With nearly 75 million Americans ages 51-69¹, Baby Boomers are currently the second largest living generation in the United States.

 According to a recent survey of 1,000 adult children ages 45-64 issued by Senior Helpers^®, the nation's premier provider of in-home senior care, nearly 60 percent of Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are concerned about juggling the responsibility of caring for their families alongside of also providing for the wellbeing of their aging parents.

Many find it is nearly impossible to maintain a full-time job and care for children at home or in college, while assuming the additional role of a full-time caretaker for an aging loved one. The added duty of elderly care can create added emotional, financial and physical stress, the study finds

"While caring for an aging loved one is a noble act, this should not come at the expense of one's own physical and mental health," said Chris Buitron, chief marketing officer, Senior Helpers.

"Above all, it's important to be realistic and determine what care you can or cannot provide, and then know when to seek assistance. In-home senior care companies like Senior Helpers help relieve the burden that family members experience when caring for an elderly loved one."

Key insights uncovered by Senior Helpers' survey include:

• A majority of respondents (34 percent) indicated they would prefer someone with prior caregiving experience to care for their loved one's daily needs, but do not require a professional care facility.
• Nearly 85 percent of adult children would prefer for their loved ones to age at home.
• A surprising 67 percent of Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are comfortable talking to aging loved ones about long-term care options.
• When asked why their aging parents still live at home, 58 percent of respondents said it was because of the comfort and dignity associated with living independently.
• Nearly 60 percent of Baby Boomers and Gen Xers feel that when the elderly are cared for in their own homes their experience is more positive than in an assisted living facility.
• When asked hypothetically who would make the ideal caregiver of choice, 37 percent of respondents chose Jill Taylor of "Home Improvement" to care for their aging loved ones. Others cited include Fran Fine of "The Nanny" at 25 percent, Tony Micelli of "Who's The Boss" at 24 percent and "Uncle Phil" of "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" at 13 percent, respectively.

Founded in 2001 with a vision to help seniors who wish to remain in their homes – despite age-related illnesses and mobility challenges – Senior Helpers serves elderly individuals and their families around the world. Senior Helpers differentiates itself with its proprietary, specialized programs that have been developed in collaboration with leading medical experts. The company was the first provider in the industry to offer specialized care services for individuals with Alzheimer's, dementia and Parkinson's disease.

For more information about Senior Helpers, visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

¹ According to the Pew Research Center

Millions of Senior Citizens Ill-Prepared to Live Alone

 8 in 10 Americans Concerned about Safety of Older Loved Ones, Most Not Doing Anything about It

November 18, 2015--PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 8 in 10 Americans (77%) are worried about the safety of their parent and/or grandparent living alone or with a spouse/partner, according to a new Caring.com report. Yet despite these concerns, the majority of children and grandchildren have not equipped their older loved one's home with safety features such as grab bars in the shower, raised toilet seats, an emergency response system and/or an entrance ramp.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2.5 million adults 65 years and older are treated for unintentional fall injuries each year. While many of these injuries can be prevented by equipping senior citizens' homes with relatively inexpensive safety equipment, most are living without these features.

In fact, in a recent Caring.com survey of adult children and grandchildren age 18 and older, these family members reported that among seniors living alone:

• 46% do not have grab bars in the shower
• 63% do not have a raised toilet seat
• 64% do not have an emergency response system
• 76% do not have an entrance ramp
•  

"People tend to wait until a concerning incident or tragedy happens to actually prepare themselves and their loved ones for old age," said Andy Cohen, CEO and founder of Caring.com. "That's a huge mistake because you're actually putting them at a bigger risk for injury."

Living without these items not only endangers a senior's personal well-being, but it could lead to high health-related costs down the line. The average hospital cost for a fall injury is about $35,000 and Medicare typically only covers about 78% of that, according to the CDC.

"Many of the basic safety features can be purchased for less than $1,000," said Cohen. "That's much more reasonable than being hit with a $10,000 hospital bill, and worse, having a parent or grandparent with a broken hip."

The survey was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) and can be seen in more detail here:
https://www.caring.com/infographics/senior-fall-prevention-by-the-numbers

Methodology
PSRAI obtained telephone interviews with a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults living in the continentalUnited States. Interviews were conducted by landline (1,000) and cell phone (1,000, including 595 respondents without a landline phone) in English and Spanish by Princeton Data Source, September 17-20 and October 1-4, 2015. Statistical results are weighted to correct known demographic discrepancies. The margin of sampling error for the complete set of weighted data is plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.

CDC Data: http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/fallcost.html

About Caring.com
With more than three million visitors per month, Caring.com is a leading senior care resource for family caregivers seeking information and support as they care for aging parents, spouses, and other loved ones. A Bankrate company headquartered in San Mateo, CA, Caring.com provides helpful caregiving content, online support groups, and a comprehensive Senior Care Directory for the United States, with more than 85,000 consumer ratings and reviews and a toll-free senior living referral line at (800) 325-8591. Connect with Caring.com on Facebook, Twitter,Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and/or YouTube.

PCOM Launches Master's Degree Program in Aging and Long-Term Care Administration

The new program is designed for those interested in advancing their career or interested in starting a career in the growing field of aging services and facility administration.

Newswise, November 16, 2015— According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the field of medical and health service administrators is expected to grow by 23 percent by 2022—much faster than the average for all occupations in the U.S. What’s more, the BLS reports that there will likely be increased demand for nursing care facility administrators as Baby Boomers continue to age.

To that end, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has launched a new master’s degree program in Aging and Long-Term Care Administration (ALTCA), for those interested in advancing their career in the growing field of aging services and the administration of institutional and community-based care.

At the core of the new program is the Nursing Home Administration 120-hour program, which satisfies the educational requirement for licensure in Pennsylvania. In addition, students will complete a six-credit Administrator in Training course, which provides 1,000 hours of administrative experience in a long-term care facility.

The interdisciplinary program features courses in the biological, environmental and psychosocial aspects of aging as well as courses in organizational development and leadership (supervised by Jeffrey Branch, EdD, assistant professor, psychology, and director of the Organizational Development and Leadership Graduate Program) to provide students with management and leadership skills.

“The focus on administration is directed toward furthering the careers of those already employed in the aging services, as well as those who have an interest in working in facilities and providing services for the aging population,” said Ilene Warner-Maron, PhD, RN-BC, NHA, clinical assistant professor, psychology, and co-director of the ALTCA program.

Warner-Maron says graduates of the program can take advantage of careers in organizations including nursing home facilities; home health care programs; assisted living facilities; and opportunities in community-based aging organizations along the continuum of care.

For more information about the MS program in Aging and Long-Term Care Administration, visit: www.pcom.edu/altca.

AARP Expert Amy Goyer Shares Tips for Caregiving Success in New Book for America's 40 Million Caregivers

ABA/AARP book "Juggling Life, Work, and Caregiving" is now available in time for National Family Caregivers Month

November 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Amy Goyer, AARP family and caregiving expert and author of the new book Juggling Life, Work, and Caregiving, is among 40 million Americans who know the challenges and joys of caring for loved ones. Goyer's personal experience caring for her grandparents, parents and sister helped shape her newest book.

Her 92-year-old father, who has Alzheimer's disease, currently lives with her. Juggling Life, Work, and Caregiving is available just in time for National Family Caregiving Month in November.

"I've been a caregiver my entire adult life and Juggling Life, Work, and Caregiving shares what I've learned from my own hard-earned experience and the resources of the caregiving community," said Goyer. "No matter where you are in your caregiving journey, this book is a quick and easy guide to help you support your loved ones and be a resilient caregiver."

Goyer has more than 30 years of experience in aging and caregiving, including working in adult day services centers and nursing homes, monitoring programs for the Ohio Department of Aging, and leading AARP's intergenerational and grandparent caregiver programs.

Caregiving Book Gives Guidance 

Juggling Life, Work, and Caregiving offers family caregivers useful tips and tools whether they are caregiving day-to-day or periodically, planning for future needs, or experiencing a crisis. The book covers everything from using technology to creating a caregiving team and caring for yourself, to handling housing and medical care, to grieving and life after caregiving. 

Juggling Life, Work, and Caregiving is a companion book to Sally Hurme's book Checklist for Family Caregivers: A Guide to Making It Manageable (ABA/AARP) and the PBS documentary Caring for Mom and Dad. The books from the ABA and AARP are available at online retailers and bookstores.  

AARP members receive 40% off the retail cost of ABA/AARP books when they're purchased online through AARP.org/CaregivingBooks and the ABA purchase option is chosen.

To learn more about caregiving resources, visit the AARP Caregiving Resource Center athttp://www.aarp.org/caregiving.