Many people are living longer today than in years past, whether through the use of technology or medication. While that may seem great for their families, it is also difficult for the younger generations, even spouses, who are tasked with carrying for their loved ones, known as caregivers. Many are thrust into a job they know nothing about, a job where they have little to no information on how to care for them over time. There are resources available, however, and many groups and agencies are reaching out to those caregivers with the information they need for their families.

Twila Doucet is the caregiver coordinator for the Long Term Care Authority, Area Agency on Aging, Enid, Okla., and routinely speaks at senior centers and health fairs across the region. She sees a broad spectrum of what caregiving is.

“Caregiving can be as basic as helping someone with some of their daily tasks, to needing someone to be with them all the time,” she said. “It can be a wide range of things. They might need help with dressing, bathing; they might need someone to cook for them, cleaning.”

Patients with dementia may seem to be the most difficult, as they don’t always have the ability to understand their surroundings due to the disease.

“If they have dementia, they may need someone to be there with them to keep them from hurting themselves, because they may not know where they are, and they may leave, and not know how to get back home,” she said.

Vineta Wanko knows about that experience as she was forced into caregiving for her husband, who has long served as a caregiver for him.

“My husband has been going on two years now with dementia,” she said. “He’s losing his memory, and he doesn’t do much of anything as far as chores or housework,” she said.

Her story is like so many others. She found herself taking care of her husband, with little to no experience in caregiving.

“I am doing it through accumulation, and it has fallen on my shoulders,” she lamented. “Of course I have no experience, and so I am doing the best that I can.”

She isn’t alone in caregiving, and there are many others like her taking care of a loved one. Those like her who feel thrust into caregiving need help, and can get it, starting with the local senior citizens center, a place that brings people together, whether for a meal, or to find information on aging.

“We’re just a wealth of information. We have the resources to give out for those who need it,” said Serena Welch, Newkirk Senior Citizens Center director. “We have tons of resources, books. We have support groups for people like that. There is always somebody that is like you, that has the same problems you have.”

Those who feel overwhelmed by caregiving have more support with the LTCA Respite program, which seeks to help caregivers with a break, a time to themselves outside the home.

“It is meant to caregivers a break,” Doucet said. “We issue a voucher each quarter, and with that voucher, they can hire someone to take care of their loved one so they can have a break, whether that be going somewhere, taking a nap, reading a book; whatever they want to do to find peace and rest.”

There is also help with home health, which involves nurses entering the home to help with healthcare at home. They do the same thing, but the difference is they are licensed nurses who help the patient, and loved ones, when they can’t do it on their own.

Jessica Ivers is a coordinator for HomeCall Home Health, and Natalie Kershener is the LPN coordinator for the same organization.

“We take care of patients in their own home to try to keep them out of the hospital,” Ivers said.

There are many diseases and illnesses they treat in the home, including heart failure, COPD, diabetes, pain management, wound care, fall pre- vention, post-surgery care and surprisingly, pediatric nursing.

“We have a pediatric branch we can send them to, because we do all ages of health,” Kershener said.

No matter the condition, they are always in connection with the patient’s doctor to help with their healthcare.

“We partner with them, with partnering with every doctor they have, to getting them the best healthcare they need,” Kershner said.

Home health nurses are always on-call for those who are in pain, in need of help.

“They are like family. They have a direct line to me, they can call for emergencies, and I will be there,” Kersherner said.

There are still resources available for those who are caregivers, especially those who filled the role due to life, something beyond their control, and in many cases, it starts at home, with the local senior center, where those who already need help can find it at home.

“Caregiving is the hardest job in the world, and maybe you just need a breather; there are tons of resources and information available,” Welch said. “There is always somebody out there to help you figure it out.”