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Vital Signs

Minority Entrepreneur Offers 366 Days of Caregivers’ Comfort

America’s baby boomers are aging at a rapid rate and living up to 15 years longer than their parents’ generation. This rise in the elderly population is creating a huge need for more nurses to provide elder care in hospitals as well as more caregivers who provide health care to ailing family members in their own homes.

To provide assistance to the dedicated and compassionate people who provide care to the elderly, as well as to sick children, people with disabilities and patients with chronic illnesses, consultant and entrepreneur Julie Cook Downing, who is African American, has launched Caregivers’ Comfort Creations, LLC, a company that provides resources, tools and guidance for caregivers.

“As our country ages and there is an increasingly fragmented family structure in our society, record numbers of people will need some type of assistance with their health. I want to make sure our country is prepared for this crisis,” states Downing.

 

The first product released by her company is Caregivers’ Comfort, An Inspirational 366-Day Journal and Record Book (Wimmer, $22.95). The journal provides caregivers with a private outlet for jotting down their thoughts, medical notes and inspirational messages.
In an exclusive interview with Minority Nurse, Downing notes that minorities often tend to care for their loved ones at home instead of placing them in a medical institution. “Therefore, it is even more important for minorities that have folks at home to have a support like Caregivers’ Comfort. One can feel very alone when providing health care at home rather than in a hospital,” she says.

 

“When my own mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, my father became a 24-hour caregiver,” adds Downing. “It became apparent to me that my dad needed a daily reminder and release--emotionally, spiritually and mentally. I saw the need for organized record keeping, encouraging words of wisdom and professional tools and resources.”

Downing also told Minority Nurse she believes there is a tremendous spirituality among minority populations. Even though her book is not specifically aimed at any particular religious denomination, it does have a spiritual tone.

“The spiritual element of the book might be even more appealing to minority nurses because of the obstacles they face being minorities in a majority profession,” she believes. “This book can offer them extra comfort and confidence.”

To order Caregivers’ Comfort, call (800) 548-2537.