More than 50 million people, provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend during any given year.

Most family members readily jump in to help a loved one and will put their own lives on hold. Only 46 percent expect to be caregivers longer than two years. In fact average length of time spent on caregiving is about eight years, with approximately one third of respondents providing care for 10 years or more. (Source: MetLife Juggling Act Study, Balancing Caregiving with Work and Costs of Caregiving, Met Life Mature Market Institute, November 1999.)

Online support groups work well for adult child who may have become isolated due to demands of 24 x 7 care responsibilities. The support is available 24 hours a day seven days a week, thanks to world wide web.

Family caregivers are welcome to join and become members through Caring for Elderly Family Members support group. You are also welcome to visit Senior Approved Services for assistance. The web site offers a place to submit words of wisdom, a recipe contest (not just for food!), subscribe to a free monthly ezine and much more!

Senior Approved Services has decided to run a casual poll to gauge interest of such an idea. If interest can indeed be substantiated, it will move forward by organizing a program that will match family caregivers interested in trading time in exchange for receiving time in his or her local community.

Please take a moment and complete following elder-care-co-op poll – or if this doesn’t apply to you personally, we would ask that you pass this on to someone that you know might benefit from such a program. See http://www.seniorsapprove.com/elder-care-co-op.html

Coming together, equally taking and receiving, may actually help both family caregiver and elder person in need of care. Seniors would meet at least one other senior providing opportunity to develop a caring friendship. Family caregivers would have support of at least one other care provider in their local community.