Throughout our villages, our hamlets, our communities across America this morning,  senior care-givers took a brief moment for perhaps a cup of coffee as they prepared to focus their day on caring for our seniors.  Day in and day out, these givers nourish,, encourage, bath, shave, dress, feed, and embrace those that in the past did the same for us.   I often wonder how much appreciation they get.

In Portland, Oregon alone, there are over 600 Adult Family Homes, woven into the fabric of our neighborhoods.  Within these homes reside up to 5 seniors.  In California there are of 6500 Adult Family Homes scattered throughout the state.  Imagine the amount of care being given right now as you read this.  These care-givers will most likely never make the news – only if they fail or make a mistake. 

Today you may also drive by a larger community of seniors – perhaps an Assisted Living Community or Retirement Home.  Beyond the fancy facades, the elaborate entry ways designed to make us want to move in ourselves and be waited on, are again more care-givers, many who are being paid minimum wages doing what you or I would only do if it was for our kids.  Sure, it is their job – they like us are trying to feed their families, but, don’t they also deserve some praise and thanks? 

How can we realistically appreciate them?  There are those traditional ways of going to nursing homes or Assisted Living facilities during the holidays.  But what about year around?   Perhaps an occasional note of thanks to a care-giver you have met in one of those facilities – perhaps taking the time to visit one of the smaller neighborhood Adult Care Homes in your neighborhood.  Just be sure when you knock on the door, that you let them know right away you are there not to judge but to support and thank them.  At first they may think you are a county inspector looking for problems or a reason to fine them.   How do you discover them in your community?  Perhaps The Senior Care Guide can be a help.

Someday, you may know of a friend, or perhaps it may be someone in your family,  who  needs to find quality senior care.  Encourage them to get help from local professionals within their community.   These local professionals constantly screen and support the quality homes and facilities within our communities – they take the time to know more about the homes and communities than their facades or entry ways.  They will take the time with you or your friend to help with an appropriate care match – much  like how a Realtor takes time to professionally match their clients with the right neighborhood or new home.  These professionals are known as Placement & Referral Agencies.  In Portland, Oregon, a local company called Care Service Options,  has assisted families and their seniors for over 22 years – providing a free community service.  Why use such a referral and placement service rather than just going out on your own and picking the closest to you?  One way to give Thanks to our Seniors – and to those that care for them as well, is to make sure we match appropriately our seniors with the type of home, personality or care-giving spirit they need.  Let's not ask care-givers to take care of seniors that are "placed" in a home simply out of conveneince to a family member rather than considering whether it is truly an match for both the senior and the care-giver.

Thank you for taking the time to extend your thanks to our pioneers, and to those who provide their care.   Your sincere appreciation year around make a difference!