Are you a family caregiver without even realizing it?
A family caregiver is a person who provides care to a member of the family or someone close to your family. Family or informal caregivers may help out an elderly neighbor, help their elderly parents, or provide care to an adult with a disability or chronic health condition.
Sometimes, family caregivers live in one house and help out a parent or other adult in another home. Others live with their parents and help out within the same home. Does that sound familiar? You’re not alone, approximately 20% of Americans provide unpaid care to another adult.
Statistics About Family Caregivers
Some family caregivers have an easy time. Others face challenges that impact their mental and physical health. Almost a quarter of family caregivers say their own health is worse than it was before becoming a family caregiver.
The same AARP study found that almost a quarter of unpaid caregivers are caring for two or more people. More than a quarter of these caregivers struggle to coordinate care.
Why is that? Some family caregivers cannot find the time to keep up with their own medical appointments. If it’s been years since you went to the doctor for a routine exam or to the dentist for a cleaning, your health can be impacted.
Caregiving is stressful, especially if you don’t have a strong support team backing you up. If you also have a full-time or part-time job, the stress is doubled. Six out of 10 unpaid caregivers also have jobs.
Responsibilities like a job and caregiving duties may be part of the reason family caregivers feel overwhelmed and stressed out. There’s one more aspect to this. A quarter of family caregivers are caring for a family member, neighbor, or close family friend who has Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia.
Alzheimer’s can be a demanding disease as it progresses. The symptoms can make you feel sad. It can also change your parent’s behavior. Your mom may stop recognizing you and become fearful of a stranger in her home. Even if you expect it, it’s hard emotionally when that moment hits.
What Do You Do to Keep From Being Overwhelmed?
How do you reduce stress and avoid feeling overwhelmed? Make sure you have a strong support team. Work with your siblings and close family friends to have multiple people helping out. When everyone chips in, you’ll have time to spend with your parents doing fun activities or going on enjoyable outings together.
Hire professional caregivers to ensure everyone in your family has time to socialize, take care of their own needs, and spend time with each other. You can’t ignore your spouse or children because your parents need you.
If you or someone you know needs Home Care in St. Cloud, MN, contact Adara Home Health Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services for many fragile or senior members in the communities we serve.
Call us at (888) 660-5772 for more information.
Sources:
https://www.aarp.org/ppi/info-2020/caregiving-in-the-united-states.html