CAREGIVING: A LIFESPAN ISSUE

ESPAN ISSUE BY LAUREN AGORATUS, M.A.

Caregivers can be parents of children who need lifelong care, "well-spouses," or eldercaregivers.

CAREGIVING ISN'T JUST AN ELDERCARE ISSUE!

Families of children with special healthcare needs may not even realize that they are caregivers. They're not just taking care of their children, as would be expected. They are using feeding tubes, special formulas and diets, giving shots, dealing with incontinence past potty-training, and using medical equipment, such as: lifts, wheelchairs, walkers and they need

accessible homes and vehicles. These families need to go beyond "parenting" – as they are family caregivers.

This can also be true of "well-spouses," when one person becomes disabled at any age and is cared for by the spouse or partner. Siblings also may help aging parents care for an adult brother or sister with a developmental or intellectual disability. Even youth themselves can be caregivers for siblings, parents, or grandparents. And finally, the most well-known image of a caregiver is one caring for an older adult. But all of these scenarios mean that someone isn't just being a good sibling, son/daughter, spouse/partner etc. They are going above and beyond through caregiving.

ANSWERING THE CALL: The most well-known image of a caregiver is one caring for an older adult; this sibling, son/daughter, spouse/partner is going above and beyond through caregiving.