The True Cost of Medical Care and Supplies

The true cost of caregiving is often overlooked.
There is no denying that care giving can be a draining experience. Statistics show that care giving for most families can represent a large dollar cost. However, what is often overlooked is the true cost of time and energy as family members often have to rearrange personal and work schedules, take vacation time, and use up other resources in order to provide care for their family member. 


Many times caregivers will often put their own needs aside to care for a family member. This can result in higher health costs and emotional stress for the caregiver. Women who are caregivers often find that they are trying to balance raising their own family, having a job, and the care giving needs of the loved one that needs them.

Therefore it makes it crucial that anyone who is involved in care giving for a family member understand that there are ways that they can make care giving more affordable and less of a strain on their budget. Here is what you need to know about the true cost of medical care and supplies-
  • Have the right supplies-Many seniors who require care have serious medical issues. These issues can range from incontinence to other medical needs such as diabetic care. It is critical that caregivers have the right supplies on hand in order to care for these problems. Studies show that in the care of incontinence many individuals waste up to $130 dollars in trial and error before finding the right incontinence products. The good news is that there is no need for this to happen. Caregiverpartnership.com offers a way to sample more then 100 incontinence products for the low shipping and handling cost of $3.49. This allows both the caregiver and the person in their care to try out the product before making a large cash investment. See what products are offered.  Keep in mind that when the right incontinence supplies are used this leads to fewer changes, less leaking, and more ease of use, which can keep the overall cost of managing this issue, both financial and that of time and energy, down. 
  • Understand that emotional cost-Care giving for an elderly loved one can be emotionally draining. The senior can often feel embarrassed and by his or her need for care. They will often lash out at those closest to them. The problem can be compounded if the senior suffers from any medical condition that can make them uncomfortable or cause pain. Using the right products in your care giving efforts can help to make the senior more comfortable and less irritable about needing care. However, with so many caregiving products on the market it can be difficult to determine what you need. Caregiverpartnership.com offers a product selector that can help caregivers quickly and effectively sort through almost 500 options. Take a look at The Incontinence Product Finder
  • Take some time for yourself-Caregivers need to understand that one of the most important and cost saving things that they can do is to take time for themselves. Often taking a break can mean that you can come back recharged and ready to deal with the challenges of taking care of your loved one. 

  • Consider using a flexible spending account-Today, more employers then ever before are understanding that many of their employees are caring for elderly parents and other loved ones. In order to help facilitate this they are allowing their employees to use their flexible spending account in order to help offset the costs of care giving. Check with your employer to see how you can use your flexible spending for your specific care giving needs. 
It is important that caregivers understand that there some items that are tax deductible. Learn more

In addition, learn more about managing incontinence.


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About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their loved ones with answers to their caregiving questions, including information about home health care products and supplies, from our Wisconsin-based team of Product Specialists who are all current or former caregivers. The company’s Web site provides the largest online library of resources on subjects most important to caregivers — from arthritis to assisted living, and Parkinson’s to prostate cancer — as well as access to more than 3,000 home care products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, home safety and daily living aids. The CareGiver Partnership was founded in 2004 by Lynn Wilson of Neenah, Wisc. Visithttp://www.caregiverpartnership.com to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353. 


1 comments:

Emilia said...

We can agree that the costs of caregiving do not just involve money – it also involves time for relaxation, recreation, and socialization with family members. Caregiving is even more difficult if care recipients- especially senile family members – show hostility to the very people who are taking care of them.

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