JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — February 20 marks National Caregivers Day, a time set aside to recognize and celebrate caregivers across the country who provide long-term and hospice care.
Many family members step into the role of full-time caregiver for their loved ones, often providing support around the clock. While deeply meaningful, that responsibility can also be physically and emotionally exhausting. Professional caregivers serve as an important support system for families in need of relief.
“The family members, if they’re 24/7 caregivers and they don’t take a break and let’s say they go down with a sickness, or stress or what not then there’s nobody there. Us coming in and doing a few hours here, few hours there is extremely important to those 24/7 family caregivers,” said Tyler Whitman, Owner of Seniors Helping Seniors.
Heather Levy, a caregiver with Seniors Helping Seniors emphasizes that caregiver burnout is very real and encourages those caring for loved ones to prioritize their own well-being.
“It’s important for somebody who is doing care for a loved one to maybe hook up with a support group or hire somebody like us to come in one day a week so that they can go get a haircut, or a massage or whatever their thing might be to just take a break so that they can back away and come back fresh and appreciate what they have with that person that they’re taking care of.”
For those seeking assistance or employment opportunities, Seniors Helping Seniors hires active, mature caregivers who are passionate about serving others.
“People that might’ve lost a loved one or a husband or a wife for that matter, they obviously got that experience because they probably been taking care of that family member and it gives them an outlet.” “We’re hiring older people, we’re hiring people over the age of 50, they got more to offer, they got the experience, they got the compassion,” said Whitman.
Levy has also been nominated for the Seniors Helping Seniors National Caregiver of the Year Award, recognizing her years of dedicated service and the trust she has built with clients.
“It’s kind of mind blowing because I don’t do it for the recognition, I do it because it sounds corny because I care, because I like helping people,” said Levy.
To learn more about senior care resources, visit here.