August - Meet Tammy Glen

Tammy I. Glenn

Tammy will share with us information about the senior population as well as the inter-generational program at Caregivers which pairs high school students with seniors through a program called “Building Bridges”.  Under adult supervision at all times, students help with tasks such as sweeping, vacuuming, washing windows or just being a companion to discuss history and current events.  Sometimes they work in teams on larger projects such as yard work or holiday decorating.

Roughly, it is estimated that American families provide 80 to 90 percent of all in-home long term care services for their aging family members, disabled adult children and other loved ones.  These services are priceless and the family caregivers that provide them often go unrecognized and over utilized which can lead to great stress for the family caregiver.

Recently, and of particular interest, there is a new buzz around a subset of caregivers known as the  “Sandwich Generation”.  These are caregivers who find themselves squeezed in between caring for younger loved ones such as children, and their elder parents or other elder family members.  While the Sandwich Generation is not a new form of family caregiving, these caregivers are receiving a long overdue peaking of interest within American society.

As an informal caregiver, author and professional fundraiser, Tammy I. Glenn has counseled numerous family members and friends in short and long-term care issues.