In a 2015 study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, it came out that there are around 43.5 million family caregivers in the nation. This care is provided without receiving any pay. The average age of a family caregiver is 49, and 60 percent of them are women. According to this service, the most typical care tasks are helping a loved one get in and out of bed or a chair/sofa, driving the loved one, assisting with shopping, and getting dressed.
While you’re doing these things for your dad, your own health is impacted. Almost half of all caregivers feel they did not get a choice in becoming a family caregiver. Those in the study listed their biggest issues being emotional stress and physical strain. Here’s a closer look at the impact of family caregiving on your health.
Take a Look at One Case.
Anne is a 47-year-old mother of two. Her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and was entering the end of the moderate stages when Anne’s father died unexpectedly. On top of caring for two teens, Anne had a job outside the home for an average of 24 hours a week, and she worked from home for another 20 hours a week. That’s the situation Anne was in when her father died.
Anne’s brothers couldn’t quit their jobs. They needed the medical insurance. Anne was asked to step up, quit her outside-the-home job and care for their mom three days a week. One brother would cover weekends, and the other would cover two days. Soon, the second brother’s work schedule changed. Anne had to increase her time as a family caregiver to five days a week.
Research has proven that people in Anne’s situation have a higher incidence of entering into depression. Panic attacks and anxiety are common. Family caregivers often sleep less as they try to fit more things into their day. Muscle strain is possible if some of the duties involve having to lift a loved one. Family caregivers often work through illness. This increases the risk of having a cold progress into something more serious, such as pneumonia. It’s also common to skip doctor and dentist appointments, as there is no time, which also impacts your health.
Home Care Helps.
While it can be hard initially, hiring a home care agency to provide help with caregiving needs is essential to your well-being. Even if you only have an elderly care professional in the home a few hours a week, it’s a few hours where you can focus on your own needs. Call an elderly care service today to learn more about the benefits of home care.
If you or an aging loved one needs elderly care in Carmichael, CA, remember Senior Home Care Services. Call us at (916) 514-7006 for more information.
Sources:
http://www.caregiving.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2015_CaregivingintheUS_Executive-Summary-June-4_WEB.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2791523/
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