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GREAT NECK, N.Y. — Tens of millions of Americans perform crucial health care services every day for their loved ones. Yet these family caregivers often go underappreciated and face their own challenges due to the time, physical and emotional aspects of this work.
To help family caregivers, First Quality is joining the Caregiver Action Network (CAN) and its Corporate Leadership Council in a year-long partnership to help caregivers who have a family member with incontinence connect to useful resources, build community and find the support they need.
“Providing care to a family member with incontinence can feel overwhelming, especially at first,” said Michele Mongillo, clinical educator at First Quality. “We are proud of our decades of experience in healthcare, our clinical expertise and the innovative products we’ve developed to make managing incontinence and family caregiving as comfortable as possible. We’re eager to work with Caregiver Action Network to help family caregivers see they’re not alone.”
First Quality is a leading manufacturer of adult incontinence products for private-label retail and healthcare customers. The company’s own brand of Prevail adult incontinence products is a top choice among long-term care and assisted-living facilities. Throughout its 35-year history, First Quality has focused not only on innovating premium products but also on providing personalized clinical support services for healthcare professionals, family caregivers and individuals managing incontinence. For example, the Prevail eNurse chat line offers round-the-clock support to any caregiver with questions about incontinence care.
Caregiver Action Network is the nation’s leading family caregiver organization, with an array of resources serving a broad spectrum of family caregivers. The organization seeks to create awareness and respect for the vital role all family caregivers play in the nation’s health.
“We are excited to have First Quality join our Corporate Leadership Council. There are so many ways our two organizations can partner toward our shared mission of supporting family caregivers,” said CAN CEO Marvell Adams Jr. “Together, we can make a profound difference for the caregivers who already give so much to their loved ones.”
Celebrating and supporting family caregivers
November is National Family Caregivers Month, which this year focuses on caregiver self-recognition. First Quality’s initial focus as a new member of CAN’s Corporate Leadership Council will be assisting family caregivers to acknowledge the role they play and remember to make time for their own self-care even as they deliver care to others.
According to Caregiver Action Network, the typical family caregiver provides care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend an average of 20 hours a week. This can take a toll, with 23% of family caregivers providing care for five years or more reporting their health is fair or poor. Anywhere from 40% to 70% of family caregivers have clinically significant symptoms of depression.
“We know caregiving looks different in every home. It can be very rewarding, but there is certainly stress, too,” said Sima Delafraz, chief commercial officer at First Quality. “We want caregivers to feel appreciated and equip them with ways to handle the unexpected challenges of their families’ journeys. We’re proud to partner with Caregiver Action Network to help do that.”
About First Quality
The First Quality Group of companies is a closely held, diversified group of companies manufacturing, selling and distributing branded and private label absorbent hygiene, paper and packaging products into the healthcare, retail, and commercial channels. First Quality is dedicated to meeting the demands of the market by providing innovative and high-quality products manufactured utilizing state-of-the-art technology. For more information, please visit www.firstquality.com
About Caregiver Action Network
CAN is the nation’s leading family caregiver organization. It works to improve the quality of life for tens of millions of family caregivers. These Americans care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities, or diseases. CAN also supports those meeting the living needs of older adults. CAN serves a broad spectrum of family caregivers. This includes parents of children with significant health needs. It also includes families and friends of wounded soldiers: from a young couple dealing with a diagnosis of MS, to adult children caring for parents with Alzheimer’s disease. CAN (the National Family Caregivers Association EIN 52-1780405) is a non-profit organization providing education, peer support, and resources to family caregivers across the country free of charge.
Learn more at: CaregiverAction.org or contact the Caregiver Help Desk at 855-CARE-640
