Elder Options promotes care-giving for the elderly during National Family Caregivers Month

Celebrated every November, National Family Caregivers Month is a time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country.

It also offers an opportunity to raise awareness of care-giving issues, educate communities and increase support for caregivers.

Elder Options is a nonprofit organization that provides local resources to seniors and caregivers. It is located at 100 SW 75th St. in Suite 301 and is open from Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Elder Options serves older adults ages 60 and older, adults with disabilities and their informal caregivers.The nonprofit organization also provides state and federal grant-funded programs and direct services to individuals in its state-designated service area, which includes Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Sumter, Suwannee, and Union counties.

Elder Options' goal is to connect older adults and adults with disabilities to resources and assistance for living safely with independence.

Katina Mustipher, chief operating officer of Elder Options, has worked for the organization for 26 years.

Mustipher, 49, is transitioning from her current position as COO to chief executive officer (CEO) that was formerly held by Kristen Griffith.

“Black and brown people have a high percentage of chronic health disparities and dementia,” Mustipher said. “I want to reach out to the community that is underserved.”

Mustipher’s journey in the care-giving services began in North Carolina when her family attended a wedding there and her uncle told her mother how he was unable to be a caregiver to his mother.

“As a 13-year-old, I saw how it impacted the family emotionally and financially,” Mustipher said. “That moment laid the foundation of why I do this work because it’s needed. My mission is to get the information out to the community. We as a family didn’t know if it was available.”

Mustipher said Elder Options provides counseling and screenings for a variety of in-home assistance/support or community programs, like assisted living facilities for eligible seniors, adults with disabilities and caregivers through Medicaid.

The nonprofit also offers resources, information and training for those who work with older adults, as well as assistance for older adults impacted by abuse.

Classes are also taught to educate people about chronic conditions, and also provides support for informal caregivers and give volunteer opportunities to teach health-related classes and Medicare counseling.

“I feel like we are one of the best kept secrets in North Central Florida,” Mustipher said.

The SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) Program provides health insurance information and free, unbiased and confidential counseling assistance to Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers.

David Porter is a SHINE volunteer with Elder Options and has done so for more than 10 years. Porter provides Medicare counseling at the Alachua County Library District in the Cone Park branch in East Gainesville at 2801 E. University Ave.

Porter has been a SHINE counselor since February 2011 when his sister told him about the program.

“My father moved to Gainesville from Ocala and needed help on his Medicare advantage plan. A friend of mine who worked in SHINE helped him find a plan,” Porter said.

Seeing his father receive the help he needed to find the best medical plan for him inspired Porter to volunteer at SHINE during retirement.

“I wanted to do something to help people,” Porter said. “I provide one-on-one counseling and talk to seniors at the Cone Park Library. When people are going through the process of aging, it can be difficult for seniors and their caregivers. We do our best to provide assistance to help them.””

Porter said Elder Options is a valuable resource for families with seniors and caregivers.

“Being a caregiver can be difficult,” Porter said. “I saw my wife be a caregiver to her mother and dad.”

Nationally, there are more than 600 Area Agencies on Aging serving elders and adults with disabilities.

Elder Options is one of the state’s 11 Aging and Disability Resource Centers funded by the Department of Elder Affairs.The state is divided into planning and service areas (PSAs) by population. North Central Florida is PSA 3.

Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) Program provides community-based services organized in a continuum of care to help functionally impaired elders live in the least restrictive yet most cost-effective environment suitable to their needs.

ElderCare in Alachua County is an example of a CCE lead agency. Ivy Bell, 56, is the primary caregiver to her mother who is 84 years old. Bell is from Marks, Mississippi, and has lived in Gainesville for 27 years. Her mother moved permanently to Gainesville in 2015 to live closer to Bell.

“Their services have always been excellent,” Bell said.

Bell said she continues to attend caregiver classes, support groups and annual conferences hosted by Elder Options.

“I receive a wealth of knowledge and ideas to help me be a better caregiver,” Bell said. “In our lifetime, we’re going to be a caregiver or need a caregiver. As people are living longer, it is great to know what different resources are in your communities so you won’t feel isolated. There are people out there who have been through it and can help you.”

Bell said the resources Elder Options provide are useful to prevent burnout.

“When people do things in isolation, it burns themselves out without the information,” Bell said. “You don’t want to be overwhelmed — one person can’t do it all. You must rely on a support network. One person cannot do the job, it takes a concerted effort.”

Bell said self-care is one of the most important activities a caregiver must practice daily.

“We must practice self-care because if something happens to me, who will take care of my mother?, Bell said. "We must make sure we take care of ourselves emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.”

The Elder Options Helpline at 1-800-262-2243 is a toll-free service that connects older adults, adults with disabilities, their caregivers and family members to support in our community.

For more information about Elder Options, visit www.agingresources.org

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: National Family Caregivers Month honors family caregivers in the U.S.