Voluntary caregiver

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Voluntary caregiver is the modern terminology for an unpaid spouse, relative, friend or neighbor of a disabled person or child who assists with activities of daily living and assists those unable to fully take care of themselves. While the term "caregiver" may also apply to many professional providers of services, the words "voluntary caregiver" are broadly used to describe those individuals other than parents whose contributions are normally not compensated as employment.

The services of one or more voluntary caregivers can be valuable in helping the disabled person live in their own home and/or with their own family, limiting the need and costs of professional home care services, or relocation to group home, assisted living, nursing home, or hospice care settings. Caregiver training is sometimes offered by professional agencies to share options and methods for voluntary caregivers to use.

As medical breakthroughs have changed some health problems from terminal to chronic, and life spans have gradually increased, and as average age of the population becomes older, the role of voluntary caregiver has been increasingly recognized as an important one, both functionally and economically. Many organizations which provide support for persons with disabilities have developed support for caregivers as well. Since much care giving is home-based, the Internet has also developed as a valuable tool to provide support and information to caregivers.

According to the National Family Caregivers Association, "more than 50 million people provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend during any given year." [1]. The vast majority of these are voluntary caregivers.

[edit] Home Care Products

Persons who are cared for at home require medical supplies and equipment. These supplies and equipment are readily available to health care facilities but are not always easily procured by volunteer caregivers. In addition, if the person being cared for is not ambulatory or cannot be left at home alone, caregivers have problems making the trips to medical supply retailers and pharmacies. However, many of the supplies and equipment can be ordered through catalogs and on the Internet and are delivered directly to the home.

In addition, many of the home care product supply companies offer other services to help volunteer caregivers such as providing live chats with nurses, filing insurance claims, and reminder services.

The types of products available are:

  • Aids to daily living
  • Incontinence supplies
  • Diabetic meters and supplies
  • Urological supplies
  • Ostomy supplies
  • Wound care supplies
  • Equipment
  • Gloves
  • IV supplies
  • Mobility aids
  • Nutrition
  • Orthopedics
  • Skin care products and supplies
  • Vascular care products
  • Venipuncture

[edit] Aids To Daily Living

Aid to daily living products are those that assist persons with disabilities perform activities such as eating, bathing, and dressing. The common ADL product categories are:

  • Bathroom products (raised toilet seats, shower stools, hand-held showers, etc.)* * Dressing aids
  • Reachers, grabbers, and knobs
  • Transfer benches
  • Grab bars and safety rails
  • Bedroom products (beds, overbed tables, pads, etc.)
  • Eating untensils
  • Medicine dropper and spoons
  • Pill crushers and cutters
  • Reading accessories
  • Playing cards and accessories
  • Step stools

[edit] References and additional reading

This article previously appeared in one or more categories. Please categorise it so it may be associated with related articles. Thank you.
Please remove this template after categorising.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../v/o/l/Voluntary_caregiver.html"