National Family Caregivers Awareness Month

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - It’s National Family Caregivers Awareness Month and we want to honor those who make the selfless choice of helping and serving others.

According to AARP, by 2030, an estimated 73 million people in the United States will be 65 years or older. Many will require daily assistance from at least one caregiver to maintain quality of life, independence, and physical and social well-being.

According to the CDC, Florida is home to 2.7 million caregivers.

By 2045, 1 in 5 Sarasota County residents will be 80 and older.

But who cares for the caregivers?

Adult day care centers can take a lot of strain off of caregivers and help them improve their quality of life. We visited the Senior Friendship Center in Sarasota, who have an entire building dedicated to caregivers. They offer resources to help caregivers mentally, emotionally, financially, and more.

ABC7 spoke with Michael Cochrane, the center’s caregiving advisor and facilitator about his personal experiences.

“Back in 2008 my husband was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s,” he said. “That’s when our journey began of me being a caregiver. I realized that I just really couldn’t go at it alone, I was so isolated. But one day I was reading the newspaper and there was an article for the Senior Friendship Center and an ad for their caregiving support group, and I really found a brotherhood,” he added.

If you are a caregiver yourself and would like to join the caregiving support group or want someone to talk to for help, call 941-955-2122 or visit FriendshipCenters.org.

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