As a caregiver, you are one of 12 million Americans who spend all or part of their day assisting 5 million family members or friends who need help to remain at home.

             The help provided by you, other family members, friends and neighbors may not be enough to enable an older person to remain independent.  In this case, you may have to look for other avenues of support.  One of the first places you should contact is the Area Agency on Aging of Somerset County at 1338 South Edgewood Avenue, Somerset, PA 15501 or phone (814) 443-2681 or 1-800-452-0825.  Your family member may be eligible for services provided through the Area Agency on Aging including home support, personal care, transportation, home-delivered meals, chore and home repair, as well as legal assistance.

The Area Agency on Aging can also direct you to a Senior Community Service Center, which is suitable for older persons who have minor problems with mobility and activities of daily living, or an Adult Day Care Program which serves older persons with serious limitations with mobility, dementia, or medical conditions which require daily attention.

If you decide to hire a Private Pay worker, you will need to determine how much care your older relative needs.  Will several hours a day be enough, does he or she need care all day until the family returns home or does your relative live alone and need around the clock care?  You also need to decide what type of private care worker your loved one needs.