Caregivers for Elderly Deserve Support

To the Editor:

Domenica Marchetti’s article “New Solutions to an Age-Old Problem” (February 10) touched a raw nerve with me.

For the past 26 years, the organization that I founded, Aid for Friends, has provided free food and friendship to needy and isolated shut-ins. Just last year, I began a pilot project, the Caregivers’ Support Project, to encourage adult children and other relatives of the disabled and frail elderly homebound to become part of their loved ones’ support system.

This idea sprang up from many years of observing adult children’s reluctance to provide meals for their homebound parents. Many will visit; some will grocery shop. Unfortunately, too few will prepare home-cooked dinners.

By providing meals to elderly caregivers as well as to their dependent spouses, we are mitigating the stress that is inherent in the situation. By lightening the load of meal preparation, we will give caregivers a respite from the constant, million-and-one tasks that consume their time and try their patience.

Of course, the same pressures cause stress among the adult children, grandchildren, siblings, and other family members living with and caring for elderly homebound relatives. That is why we are offering meals to them as well.

Rita Ungaro-Schiavone
Executive Director
Aid for Friends
Philadelphia