National Caregivers Day headlines February calendar
By BETH DOW, Home Helpers of GA & AL
The month of February begins with many special days. My favorite, of course, is Groundhog Day … aka my birthday. There are also other notable birthdays this month: Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass, Thomas Edison and John Lewis to name a few.
February is the month of love where we celebrate our Valentines. And for the super cheap planners out there, February15th is when they can reconnect with the person they broke up with right before Christmas, avoiding the gift-giving holidays of Christmas and Valentines.
The entire month of February is designated American Heart Month and Black History Month. And as a bonus this year, we get an extra day on February 29th. Yes 2024 is a leap year.
One special day that doesn’t get as much attention, but definitely needs recognition is the third Friday in February – the 16th is National Caregivers Day. First celebrated in 2016, this day is set aside to honor the healthcare professionals across the county who provide long-term care and hospice care.
Every day a group of dedicated healthcare professionals provide essential services to patients and the families who care for them. From the nurses who treat and manage their disease, symptoms and pain, to the professional caregivers – CNAs and PCAs, who are the extended family when family can’t be there or can’t provide the services needed. The care this team provides allows the family to be with their loved one’s spouse, child, grandchild or sibling, and not have to fulfill the roll of fulltime caregiver.
Within our scope at Home Helpers Home Care, we work with many long-term care professionals. These are some of the most dedicated, selfless and compassionate people around. I often tell families who have long-term care needs that there very often is not one solution, but many options, which used in conjunction can become part of the solution.
You can use Home Care with Hospice and Home Care in Senior Living communities. You can use Hospice in the home or in a Senior Living community. You can have Home Care, Hospice and live in a Senior Living community. They each work independently and together.
If you or a loved one is currently using a long-term care professional to help you manage your days, take time this month to say thanks. A kind word, a card of thanks, any recognition that you see the job they do, goes a long way to encourage them and give them the fuel they need to keep going.
Home Helpers Home Care wants to thank each and every long-term caregiver. We see you; we believe in you, we appreciate you – February 16th and every day. There is no job more admirable than the one you do.
Beth Dow is a Dementia and Alzheimer’s Educator, CAEd and Geriatric Care Manager. She is also the owner of Home Helpers of GA & AL in Newnan. Readers can contact her by email at [email protected].
