“I am exhausted emotionally and physically,” my friend reported. She has been the primary caregiver of her aging mother. As a child of an aging parent or family member our deepest heart strings are pulled and tugged every which way. Aging is not for the faint of heart or easy for their family members.
At Garbage Guy, we offer our love and support to our friends and neighbors who are traveling this road. We hope to give a helping hand to those who are starting this journey and in the middle of the heavy lifting of caregiving.

Caregivers of the aging are particularly vulnerable to sinking their own ship if they neglect their own physical and emotional health. They need time for self-care. That is where adult services come in. Adult services are found in every city and have a range of services for aging adults offering rides, meals, companionship, activities. These services give caregivers much needed breaks and rejuvenation.

As a community we can also help lift their burdens with meeting their needs such as mowing a lawn, weeding a garden, taking laundry to the cleaners, etc. They also need time out of the space they are often tied to 24/7. One of the limitations of a caregiver getting self-care is the dependent adult has limited ability to trust and understand their daily happenings. Dependent adults can become agitated and fearful if they don’t know who is sitting with and attending them. Getting to know and spend time with our aging community allows us to give caregivers the support they need. A meal and time away while someone they trust and know attends their family member can be very helpful.

We have gleaned some 5-star resources to help you with the work you are doing. The team at Garbage Guy supports and celebrates the heroes and heroines of caregiving.

Adult Services
Caring.com has links and information for seniors and caregivers

Granny Nannies | Senior Care Phoenix AZ (602) 536-9680
www.grannynannies.com

The Perfect Place by Oakwood Creative Care (480) 895-2892
www.oakwoodcreativecare.org

Wheelchair/Stretcher Vans (cash/credit/debit payment upfront)

Arizona Medical Transit (dispatch out of Tucson) (520) 792-0944
AZ Med (does not service Florence) (602) 614-1042
Desert Medical Transport 6 am-6pm, (480) 987-6600
Queen Creek – all east valley
HealthLift of Arizona (PRN Florence) (602) 298-1818
Med Star (may not service Florence) (480) 659-6807/ (602) 469-2149
Quality Transport Services (QTS) (602) 371-1000/ (602) 230-1414

“I’m selling my house and coming to live with you.” My mother continued, “I’m getting old, my eyesight is no longer good, and I’ve gotten into too many almost-accidents while driving. I’ve been so lonely since your father died 14 years ago and I want to spend my final years amongst my children, NOT in a senior home.”

“First, I was shocked. My mother decided this on her own, without consulting any of the family. She had found buyers for her car and her home in a 55+ community in Mesa, but now it was up to us to help her clean out her trailer, her home for the past 16 years. She didn’t want to keep anything but a few personal items, important family documents and clothing. All her belongings either had to be donated, given to family members, or thrown away. This process took a lot longer than expected since she was particular about what items to keep and remove. Eventually, the trailer was cleaned out and she moved in with one of my sisters.”

“Unfortunately, not everyone is in the same situation my mother was in the last year. She made the choice on her own to move out of her independent living situation, and into an assisted living situation with her family.” (Based on a real situation from a friend)

Often, our elderly family members may not recognize this decision or the time for it on their own. The decisions, tasks, and process to make this transition is a major life change for all involved. It is also a tender and emotional time. At Garbage Guy we are sensitive to the process and have the resources to help your transition go smoothly.