Respite care: how taking
care of yourself helps others
BY JANE SADOWSKY-EMMERTH
According to AARP, 56
percent of New York’s Family
Caregivers experience stress
trying to balance their jobs and
families. It’s no secret that family
caregiving is a demanding
job and trying to do it alone can
lead to additional stress and
serious health issues for those
providing care. And while caring
for family members can be
considered a “labor of love,”
that doesn’t make juggling
work, family and other commitments
any less stressful
when someone needs special
care at home.
Taking the time to seek support
and maintain your own
health is key to managing your
role as a family caregiver and
“me time” should not be seen as
a “selfi sh” endeavor. If you’re
overwhelmed by the daily routine
of caregiving, your patience
and compassion may
wear thin, making it harder to
connect with the person you’re
caring for, causing you both to
experience feelings of guilt, resentment
and lack of personal
fulfi llment.
Respite care is a short-term
break from caregiving. It may
be having a friend or neighbor
sit with your family member
for an hour or two while you
do chores, taking them to a Social
Adult Day Center while
you run an errand, or even arranging
for a home health aide
to stay with them for a weekend
so you go to a grandchild’s wedding
or graduation.
As a registered nurse with
Partners in Care, a licensed
home care agency affi liated
with the Visiting Nurse Service
of New York, my colleagues and
I help family caregivers manage
caring for elderly family
members—which in turn allows
caregivers to take muchneeded
time for themselves.
We hope these tips and
tricks will help you feel more
energetic, focused, and reinvigorated
about your caregiving
role. You may even be able
to pick up tips on new ways to
tackle common problems you
face as a caregiver, helping to
make the caregiving journey a
more enjoyable and rewarding
experience for both you and the
loved one in your care.
1. Accept Help: Sometimes
it feels like we have to do everything
ourselves, especially
when it comes to family, but we
must remember we cannot do it
all alone. Getting help from others
is not a sign of weakness,
and may actually play a vital
role in sustaining personal
care for your loved one. Write
down some specifi c things
people can do — like picking
up prescriptions, dropping off
a meal, chauffeuring to a doctor’s
appointment, etc. Keep a
running list of go-to tasks people
can help with so when they
offer, you have an answer!
2. Take a Break from Caregiving:
Everyone needs the opportunity
and time to recharge,
even the most devoted of caregivers.
Although formal respite
programs like we offer at Partners
in Care are hard to fi nd
in some communities, it may
be possible to get your family
member into an adult day care
program that will be benefi cial
for your loved one, and provide
you with some time to yourself.
And, along with my fi rst tip, remember
that if someone offers
help it is okay to ask if they can
stay with your loved one for an
hour or two.
3. Find a Community:
Again, you are not in this
alone. There are many people
experiencing the same wor-
ries and stresses as you in this
situation, and they can offer
the opportunity for a support
system and sounding board so
you don’t feel so isolated. Reach
out to other caregivers in your
situation, and look for opportunities
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, S 40 EPTEMBER 20-26, 2019 BTR
to give and get support.
Recognizing that the work you
do is important and that you’re
not alone in your situation will
help you reap the most positive
benefi ts from your caregiving,
which leads to my next tip…
4. Stay Positive: Think actively
about the positive aspects
of caregiving. If your
family member is able to communicate,
talking about the
things in life you’ve shared can
be rewarding for both of you.
Take time to look at old photos
or videos, chat about people you
love, or reminisce about trips
you’ve taken. Using this time
to strengthen your connection
to one another can help you feel
good about the work you’re doing
and give your loved one a
chance to express their thanks
too.
5. Don’t Feel Guilty: At the
end of the day, know that you
are doing all you can as a caregiver
and should never feel
guilty. You love and care about
this person, and even if they
can’t show it, both they and everyone
around you knows this
deep down. You are a human
being and are doing as much as
you can.
Jane Sadowsky-Emmerth is
an RN and Clinical Case Manager
at Partners in Care, an affi
liate of The Visiting Nurse Service
of New York. VNSNY is the
largest not-for-profi t home- and
community-based health care
agency in the United States,
providing quality private care
services. For more information
please visitwww.partnersincareny.
org or call 1-888-735-8913.
The Young Israel of Pelham Parkway hosted a Police Appreciation Luncheon
for the 49th Precinct on Saturday, September 14, to show appreciation
for everything the police do for the synagogue and for the community
at large. Photo courtesy of the Young Israel of Pelham Parkway
High Holiday Services at
Young Israel of Pelham Parkway
BY STEVEN GLOSSER
In anticipation of the upcoming
Jewish New Year
(Sunday, September 29 evening,
Monday, Sepember
30 and Tuesday, October 1)
the Young Israel of Pelham
Parkway located at 900 Pelham
Parkway South has announced
that its High Holiday
services will take place at the
beautiful and spacious Young
Israel Of Pelham Parkway
synagogue.
Rosh Hashanah commemorates
the creation of the world
and marks the beginning of
the Days of Awe, a 10-day period
of introspection and repentance
that culminates in
the Yom Kippur holiday, also
known as the Day of Atonement.
Rosh Hashanah and
Yom Kippur are the two ‘High
Holy Days’ in the Jewish religion.
Many Jewish Americans
observe Rosh Hashanah,
known as the New Year in the
Jewish calendar, for two days,
while others celebrate the
event for one day. It is a time
of family gatherings, special
meals and sweet foods. Many
Jewish people celebrate Rosh
Hashana by eating challah
bread and apples dipped in
honey. In the synagogue, one
of the synagogue rituals for
Rosh Hashanah is the blowing
of the Shofar, a ram’s horn
trumpet. A hundred notes are
sounded in a special rhythm.
The sound of the shofar starts
a ten-day period known as the
‘Days of Awe’, which ends with
the solemn festival of Yom
Kippur.
Yom Kippur, the Day of
Atonement—is considered the
most important holiday in the
Jewish faith. Falling in the
month of Tishrei (September
or October in the Gregorian
calendar), it marks the culmination
of the 10 Days of Awe, a
period of introspection and repentance
that follows Rosh Hashanah,
the Jewish New Year.
Yom Kippur begins sundown
Tuesday and runs through
Wednesday evening. The Day
of Atonement, the holiest day
on the Jewish calendar, is a
time set aside to repent for
sins and to refl ect on the year
past and the year to come.
Services will be lead by
world famous Cantor Yair
Shahak. Cantor Shahak
brings a warm and inspiring
voice to our services as we
begin the Jewish New Year.
Appreciate more about the
message of the Holidays with
uplifting sermons led by our
Rabbi Ben Keil. Roshanah
begins on Sunday evening
at sundown on September 29
and Monday, September 30
and Tuesday, October 1. Yom
Kippur on Tuesday evening
October 8 and Wednesday, October
9.
Our synagogue offi ce is
located at 2190 Muliner Avenue,
open Monday through
Thursday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Offi
ce phone number is (718) 824-
0630. Please reserve your seats
as soon as possible.
BY TONY SALIMBENE
Some reminders: Friday,
Sepember 20, annual POWMIA
Service, 7 p.m.at TN Memorial
Post 1456; and Sunday,
September 29, there is a scheduled
event at the Theodore Korony
Monument in Edgewater
Park. Please arrive at our
memorial stone at 10:30 a.m.,
brief service and gathering after.
Thanks to Charlie Mac for
caring about our Theodore. A
very special thanks to Crown
Monument on the avenue for
their generous support.
Also on Sunday, October
29, an October Fest at Trump
Links. Proceeds to benefi t the
Legion. Please reserve with
Commander Gene. Starts
around 1 p.m., beer, etc! All are
invited.
On Wednesday, October 2,
Bronx County American Legion
meeting at Sam Young
Post 620 at 7:30 p.m. All are invited.
All posts please will end
a rep or two.
On Sunday, October 13 the
Morris Park Columbus Day
Parade steps off noon from
Bronxdale Avenue this year.
If you are heading out for
a drive, the Pumpkins and
Mums and More Annual sale
is coming to Hawkins Post 156
City Island Avenue. Get your
fall decorations and help the
post.
Until next time: Someone
having trouble getting to meetings
or events? Help a buddy
out-veterans helping veterans.