Freelance medical escorts, care companions available to support caregivers
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I refer to the letter, “Caregivers need support to cope with stress, burnout” (Dec 6).
The stress and burden of family caregivers have often been overlooked. The need to look after caregivers will become even more crucial with the prevalence of nuclear families.
One issue that needs to be addressed is respite care. Most, if not all caregivers, have to juggle work, family and other commitments. This will definitely take a toll on them.
Caregivers need a break to recharge and also to take stock of their lives. Most do not know that there is help available. This is where respite care comes in and it can take several forms.
For those who do not have enough leave or days off to take their loved ones to the doctors, they can hire freelance medical escorts to accompany them to the doctors’ appointments, dialysis appointments and others.
For those who are not comfortable with leaving their wards alone at home, there are care companions available while the caregivers are at work. Sometimes, caregivers need a helping hand or someone to talk to and these companions can help.
Some caregivers feel helpless as they think that they do not have the necessary skills to provide care. To equip them with the skills, there are training programmes offered by CaregiverAsia and NTUC Learning Hub.
We have had feedback that hiring medical escorts and care companions for one’s aged parents is a sign that the family member is lacking filial piety. That is absolutely not true.
Getting help for one’s aged parents is a sign that you care for them and also for your own well-being.
I personally did not know about the existence of medical escorts and care companions until after I joined CaregiverAsia. If I had known, this would have eased the burden on my siblings and me.
