Cruise Giveaway Contest for Family Caregivers Offers Opportunity for Stress-Free Getaway

OMAHA, Neb., July 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- An estimated 39 million Americans provide hours of unpaid care to someone aged 65 or older* each day. Often, there is no respite from this labor of love. Home Instead Senior Care, the nation's largest provider of in-home companion care services, is offering one deserving caregiver and a guest the chance to win a free, five-night Caribbean cruise through its 2012 Caregiver Cruise Giveaway Contest. The getaway package includes 40 hours of free care from a Home Instead Senior Care CAREGiver(SM), ensuring the winning caregiver can cruise worry free knowing their loved one is with a trained professional.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120726/CG47419)

"We understand the stress, strain and fatigue that are part of providing quality care for a loved one," said Jeff Huber, president and COO of Home Instead, Inc., the franchisor for Home Instead Senior Care.   "That's why we want to thank our nation's unpaid caregivers and show our appreciation by offering them an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate. With all of the hard work, support and love caregivers provide, it's important to recognize their contributions and dedication."

Offering respite is vital to the physical and mental wellbeing of family caregivers.  A study conducted for Home Instead, Inc., revealed the stress of caring for a loved one can negatively impact family caregivers. Fifty-eight percent say they get ill more frequently. Some 81 percent say their loved ones' needs are becoming overwhelming. The Home Instead Caregiver Cruise Giveaway Contest provides an opportunity for a family caregiver to take a break from daily responsibilities.

Anyone can nominate a deserving caregiver by submitting a brief story detailing why the nominee should win a free cruise. Online entries are being accepted from July 15 through September 15 at cruise.caregiverstress.com. The winner will be notified October 1, 2012.

Nominees can also share their personal caregiving stories with family and friends, and ask that they vote for their stories on the Caregiver Cruise Contest website. The nominator of the Grand Prize winner will win a Kindle Fire and a hand-held video camera.

The Caregiver Cruise Giveaway Contest is made possible, in part, through support from CaregiverCruises.com and Lotsa Helping Hands, a free service powering online caring communities that help to restore health and balance in caregivers' lives. "We are excited to be part of this effort to help highlight the importance of caregivers receiving much needed respite and emotional support," said Brooks Kenny, Chief Marketing Officer at Lotsa Helping Hands.

ABOUT HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE

Founded in 1994 in Omaha by Lori and Paul Hogan, the Home Instead Senior Care^® network is the world's largest provider of non-medical in-home care services for seniors, with more than 950 independently owned and operated franchises providing in excess of 45 million hours of care throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Switzerland, Germany, South Korea, Finland, Austria, Italy, Puerto Rico and the Netherlands. Local Home Instead Senior Care offices employ more than 65,000 CAREGivers(SM) worldwide who provide basic support services – assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), personal care, medication reminders, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands, incidental transportation and shopping – which enable seniors to live safely and comfortably in their own homes for as long as possible. At Home Instead Senior Care, it's relationship before task, while continuing to provide superior quality service that enhances the lives of seniors everywhere.

About Lotsa Helping Hands

Lotsa Helping Hands is a free service powering online caring Communities that help restore health and balance to caregivers' lives. It brings together caregivers and volunteers through online communities that organize daily life during times of medical crisis or caregiver exhaustion. To date, nearly one million Members have lent a hand through a Lotsa Community providing day-to-day help and respite for our nation's caregivers.  The company also partners with more than 50 national nonprofit organizations to support its members.

*As reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2011 American Time Use Survey released June 22, 2012. 

Additional information about the program is available from Erin Albers, local PR and marketing director. Additional information about the company is also available from http://digbro.com/entry/index.cfm?user_id=7366&l=0&r=0&c_id=&getFl=1&fl_id=1 [Home Instead Senior Care's online press kit.]

SOURCE Home Instead Senior Care