Caregiving

Overview
Caregivers come from all ages and walks of life. Caregivers may care for aging parents, as well as minor children, adult children, partners or spouses who are chronically or acutely ill with a physical, emotional or mental health condition. About 25 percent of American adults were involved in caregiving during the past year.
The typical caregiver is a married woman in her mid-40s who has graduated from high school, works full time and has an annual household income of $35,000. The average length of time in a caregiving role is 4.5 years. Many caregivers are part of a sandwich generation, meaning they have layers of obligations to elderly relatives, children, grandchildren, spouses and careers.


Rewards
Whether caring for a family member, volunteering or working as a professional caregiver, the rewards can be plentiful. Many caregivers enjoy the satisfaction of helping others or giving back to parents or family members. Others enjoy the sense of making a difference in the community.

Challenges
Caregiving is a demanding job. Providing extended care to another person can be both physically and psychologically stressful. It's also important to remember that caregiving is a dynamic process. As the person's condition changes, the caretaking demands will also change.

Characteristics
You may develop a wide variety of characteristics in response to being a caregiver. Physically, you may have decreased resistance to common illnesses and infections, as well as appetite or sleep disturbances.
Psychologically, you may feel irritated, angry or frustrated. A cycle of guilt and resentment is fairly common. For example, you may provide care out of guilt and eventually resent your caregiver role, only to feel guilty that you resent the responsibility. At times, the person in your care may even incite or perpetuate the guilt. You may experience family conflicts over caregiving roles and responsibilities. Unresolved conflicts with family members or the loved one you're caring for may surface. You may feel trapped or pushed into the caretaker role. Wanting an escape is common. If you're employed, you may face job insecurity due to the demands of caregiving. You may also be unsure of your ability to handle emergencies and end-of-life issues. Many caregivers also feel overwhelmed and underappreciated.

Socially, you may feel isolated or impatient. You may have less interaction with others and become demanding of your loved one or blame him or her for being unyielding, uncooperative or lazy. You may neglect or become unable to meet your own physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

Sometimes, adjusting to being a caregiver may be more than you can handle at the time. Symptoms such as decreased energy, anxiety, depression, inability to concentrate and hopelessness may warrant further evaluation by a health care professional.

As with all physical symptoms, consult your medical doctor to rule out a medical condition. If these or any other symptoms cause you distress that doesn't seem to improve, seek additional help and support from a mental health care professional.


Coping strategies
Here are some healthy strategies for coping with your caregiving role.
Share caregiving duties. Seek support through loved ones, friends, members of a religious congregation or community members. Ask siblings and others to do their share in caring for your loved one. Delegate generic duties to others as much as possible so that you can spend your time providing care and support that is unique to your relationship with the person in your care. Be open to ideas that promote your loved one>Learn as much as you can about your loved one's condition and the treatment options. It's also wise to learn about CPR and first aid. Of course, keep emergency phone numbers available.

Set realistic expectations. If youavoid this cycle, let go of unrealistic expectations that you, and seek financial and legal services as needed.

Take care of yourself. Get sufficient sleep, eat healthfully, stay physically fit and seek periodic health checkups. Do not abuse alcohol or drugs. Create social time with family and friends and pursue your own interests. Set limits on the amount of care you can provide -- and stick to it. Keep in mind your own physical and emotional limitations. If you're caring for a parent, recognize that family dynamics often change when an adult child takes on the parenting role.

Seek out community resources. For example, senior centers sponsor various activities for elders. Adult day care services provide a safe, structured environment for elders needing care, as well as an opportunity for the caregiver to manage personal affairs or simply take a break. Depending on the circumstances, respite care may be provided in the loved one's home or a community facility on a paid or voluntary basis. Personal and in-home care services can provide help with daily living activities, such as bathing, dressing and preparing meals. Home health care provides such services as changing wound dressings and checking vital signs. In some cases, in-home hospice care may be necessary. Financial assistance for these types of services may be available through Medicaid or Medicare.


Summary
If you're overwhelmed by caregiving and neglecting your own needs or those of your loved one, contact a friend or family member, or consider professional counseling. Successful caregiving requires a great deal of help and support. Identify actual or potential problems early and reach out for help to meet the challenges.