One of every six American adults is a family caregiver1. More precisely, 43.5 million family members care for someone age 50 or over, and nearly 15 million provide Alzheimer’s or dementia care2.
The personal cost of caregiving
The impact on loved ones receiving care is positive and reassuring, but what does it mean for caregivers? Certainly, support provided for elderly family members is an expression of love and loyalty, and it’s a unifying experience for some families. At the same time, however, the increased responsibility comes at a high cost for many people, especially when their caregiving leads to self-neglect. Below, we’ll touch on a key reason that some caregivers are more satisfied than others.
To offer support and information to families confronted with caregiving challenges, November has been designated National Family Caregivers Month.
A 2015 survey by www.caring.com, a leading resource for caregiving families, indicated the most common impacts on caregivers: emotional stress, stress of insufficient time, family conflicts, financial stress, health issues and stressful living arrangements.
Information to guide you
Noting the recurring theme of stress and its effect on health, finances, jobs, relationships and personal goals, Country Meadows Retirement Communities has prepared a tip sheet for families, “Caring for the Caregiver: YOU.” The sheet of 10 suggestions focuses on how family members can cope while serving as caregivers. In addition, we have compiled information on several topics related to memory support and how to care for a loved one with dementia.
An alternative to at-home caregiving
The www.caring.com survey results showed that four of 10 caregivers spend more than 30 hours a week doing hands-on tasks, such as shopping, cooking, bathing and dressing. For many, this is in addition to their own family duties and employment, leaving little time for themselves.
The survey findings also revealed that stress is particularly high for families whose elderly parents live with them. Only 23 percent of those respondents were satisfied with the situation, while 44 percent were unhappy. Caregivers with elderly family members living in senior living communities were most at ease, mainly because they didn’t constantly worry about the safety or health of their loved one.
If you feel that you and your aging family member may benefit from the services of a personal care home or retirement community in Pennsylvania or Maryland, we invite you to contact us to arrange a personal visit. We take pride in offering the most fulfilling senior living experience in these two states. We also have nursing homes in Bethlehem and South Hills of Pittsburgh, located on the campuses of our senior communities there, and an assisted living community in Frederick, Maryland.
In the meantime, you can visit us online at www.countrymeadows.com.
1Pew Research Center, Internet Health Tracking Survey, 2012
2National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, “Caregiving in the U.S.,” 2015
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