The vision of Sound Generations has always emphasized not only a society where older adults can thrive, but also where those who care for them can be equally supported. This part of supportive aging is sometimes left unacknowledged, but we recognize that caregivers need care, too.
The Caregiver Support team is made up of dedicated specialists who have been, or are currently caregivers themselves. They understand deeply how easy it is to put aside their own needs to care for someone else for so long, unintentionally allowing their own wellbeing to decline.
Caregiving is often an expectation in families. Grown children caring for their aging parents, and folks caring for a partner. Caregivers do what they do because, well, they care. They want to help those that they love. But they don’t have to do it alone, and they deserve their own time to rest, and to thrive, so that they can continue providing essential care.
As a more specified service, our Veteran Caregiver Support program continues to grow. This year, the program secured funds to offer veteran caregivers a $500 monthly stipend toward respite care that they can utilize in whatever way it is needed depending the the type and level of care needed by the veteran care recipient. Having anywhere from 4-16 hours covered by additional support means that veteran caregivers can have more of their own time to do the things they need or want to do, while knowing that their care recipient is in good hands. The respite care funding is secured through 2023, and has already shown to be lifechanging for the caregivers it benefits at Sound Generations.