Having grown up in such a close-knit Hispanic family, I've seen a lot of my family members rely on other family members to provide care for them as they've gotten older. Since I'm the oldest of 4 siblings, I'd be lying if I said that becoming a caregiver for one of my aging parents one day in the future has never crossed my mind. It certainly has. And, my hubs is the oldest kid in his family {he just has one younger brother} so it's actually crossed my mind that both of us will someday have that role in our parents' lives. It's honestly quite scary for me. Not because I don't want to be in that role, but because I know that it is a huge responsibility and something that I'd want to be fully prepared for. I think there should be more resources online to help offer information and advice to those who find themselves serving in this capacity.
Recently, Comfort Plus, an online company that specializes in providing high quality products to caregivers, released a white paper The State of the Hispanic Caregiver, which revealed that by 2050, elderly Hispanics will almost triple to 17 percent from 6 percent in 2005. According to the white paper Hispanic caregivers are much more likely to live with children or grandchildren (48% compared to 32% non-Hispanics), but they tend to report the most stress factors from caregiving.
Somehow that doesn't surprise me. I think that there is so much pressure to be in a caregiver capacity when you are not confident in your abilities. One interesting point in the white paper is the fact that 9 out of 10 caregivers interviewed cited that they need more information on a variety of caregiver topics. In particular, managing incontinence issues was a top concern.
Comfort Plus has recently revamped their website which now boasts a dedicated Spanish-language section, “Comfort Plus Para Ti” which provides bilingual access to pertinent care giving informational resources for Hispanic caregivers. This resourceful section also helps users find the correct caregiver and incontinence products they need.
Last year when my dad suffered a heart attack and underwent major heart surgery, I started to really think about my dad and how one day it would be my responsibility to provide care for him if he was ever not able to care for himself. It's a scary thought because I am used to seeing him strong and fierce and so full of life. Thankfully, his surgery was a success and he is doing okay. He still has issues with his health and hasn't exactly made the most healthy choices post-surgery but I've learned that I won't be able to change him after all these years. The best thing I can do is just be there for him if and when he ever needs me.
It really is nice to know that companies like Comfort Plus are on a mission to provide quality products AND great service and resources for caregivers all over. Are you someone who could benefit from the Tranquility products that Comfort Plus offers? Or maybe you know someone who would. If so, you're invited to try them out by using promo code LMB2012 at checkout for $10 off any case of Tranquility products. To learn more or connect with them, follow Comfort Plus on Twitter or Facebook.
{Disclosure: This is part of a compensated campaign with Latina Mom Bloggers and ComfortPlus Online. However, all opinions expressed are my own. No one is the boss of me!}
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