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May 1, 2006When Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H. released his "Rx for Caregivers" in February, he urged America to recognize that "family caregivers are an essential component of the healthcare system" and urged caregivers to "find resources that can help . . . ease the strain on your own health and well-being." Helene Monat, CEO of QualityHealth.com, Linda Shaub, Vice President of Interim HealthCare, and Jackie Pinkowitz, board member of the Alliance for Holistic Aging, all family caregivers, joined forces to support the Surgeon General's mission. They understood that it would take at least a village to reach the 45 million caregivers in the U.S., and heighten their awareness of the myriad health, safety, and support resources available to them and their loved ones. "We know that caregivers represent diverse generations, life stages, and lifestyles and must be reached through a variety of communication and delivery channels," said Ms. Monat. "We must be role models in urging national consumer-centered health resource and service companies, healthcare providers, and non-profit organizations to create collaborative on-line and off-line outreach programs that will best inform, support, and sustain our nation's caregivers." Familiar with national surveys indicating that the vast majority of seniors wish to remain in their homes even as their healthcare needs increase, Ms. Shaub knows the value of keeping people safe and independent by providing the appropriate level of home care assistance. She also realizes that to do so safely can require home modification and adaptive products. She reached out to Handyman Matters and Capabilities, national providers for home modification and adaptability services and products, and asked them to join the outreach program. The result is a collaborative caregiver resource information brochure "Bring Peace of Mind into your Home", available at no charge through the 300 Interim HealthCare and nearly 120 HandyMan Matters offices nationally, at Capabilities National Showroom, as well as on-line at www.holisticaging.com. "Employees and franchisees of our collaborating companies are proud that they will be helping to bring information resources directly to families that need them, said Andy Bell, President of HandyMan Matters. "We know it is only the first step; but in the words of Lao-Tzu, 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.'" About the Alliance for Holistic Aging: Alliance for Holistic Aging (AHA) is dedicated to the creation and replication of life-affirming and affordable choices for self-directed aging. The organization empowers individuals and groups to develop and share new approaches, resources, products and services for successful, community-based aging. For further information on "Peace of Mind," please contact Jeff Rubin, Chair, AHA, at 303-904-6812 or jeff@holisticaging.org. |
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