Are you a family caregiver?
Are you a family caregiver?
If you are caring for a loved one who cannot get through the routine of everyday life without assistance, you are a family caregiver.
Now it is your turn, say the folks at Hawaii Island Adult Care, or HIAC, in Hilo.
On Saturday, from 9 a.m. to noon, bring your loved one for free care while you get pampered and fed, spiritually and physically.
Call 961-3747 to reserve your place, and for more information on the monthly Saturday Caregiver Respite Day activity as well as the regular HIAC program offerings. Or, contact coordinators at hiac@hawaiiislandadultcare.org or visit HIAC on Facebook. There is a small fee for the caregiver respite program, but scholarships are available. Everyone is welcome.
The center offers the following account by an East Hawaii resident who has benefited from the monthly Caregiver Respite Day.
“I did not know I was a caregiver,” said the woman. “My dad came to live with my husband and me in 2003. … It came as a little bit of a shock — and that’s an understatement — to realize the extent of his dementia. Over the previous years we had all joked about his losing his wallet and house keys. Well, it was way more serious than that. His move from Honolulu to Honomu upset his routine, and though he enjoyed getting to know a new town, he was disoriented and increasingly got lost.
“A friend recommended Hawaii Island Adult Care for their caregiver support group as a way to understand what was going on with my dad. … Then I reluctantly began going to Caregiver Respite Days, another opportunity for sharing and learning with people doing the same thing as me. The camaraderie, the games, the massages — head to toe — saved my sanity and gave me the courage to continue.”