As you read this I am spending the day with a few hundred of my favorite people, the family caregivers who are attending our ninth annual Fort Lauderdale Fearless Caregiver Conference. I’d actually like to spend a few minutes addressing the healthcare professionals and non-profit organizational leaders reading this today. Please do not overlook your real partner in the person of your client’s family caregivers, and also do not forget that these same caregivers are prone to take themselves out of the all important Circle of Care.

Caregivers tend to:

• Make sure that their loved ones get the rest they need, but never giving themselves a break.
• Make sure that their loved ones have all the medical attention they need, but forgoing their own basic checkups.
• Make sure that their loved ones get the nutrition that they need but grabbing bites whenever they can.

Remember that family caregivers are your best in-home partner. They spend their days carrying out the instructions established for their loved ones care but in so doing they put themselves under great stress. So celebrate them and help them give their loved ones the benefit of your wealth of knowledge, talent and experience and while you are at it, make sure to find out how they're doing, as well.

The truth is that I am probably preaching to the pews as most of the best care advocates and healthcare professionals I have met over the past thirteen years started their careers after having cared for their loved ones themselves.

It is with these facts in mind that I would like to leave you with a simple request, and that is to add one more person to the list of people for whom you care - yourself. I know how hard you work for your clients and that many of you go home at night to your own caregiving duties. We need you to be at your best as do your loved ones, so please remember that the Circle of Care most certainly includes you.

Top ten things caregivers need from a Healthcare Provider