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Caregiving means caring for others, whether friends or relatives, who have health problems or disabilities and need help. Caregivers provide many kinds of help to care receivers, from grocery shopping to helping with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and eating. Most people who need help from caregivers are elderly. About one fourth of American families are caring for an older family member, an adult child with disabilities, or a friend. According to recent surveys, more than 7 million persons are informal caregivers to older adults. Caregivers include spouses, adult children, and other relatives and friends. Other surveys found that almost 26 million family caregivers provide care to adults (aged 18 ) with a disability or chronic illness, and 5 million informal caregivers provide care for older adults aged 50 with dementia. Studies show that more than half of caregivers are women. Care receivers are about half women and half men. The average amount of time that caregivers spend on caregiving is about 20 hours per week. Even more time is required when the care receiver has multiple disabilities. Caring for a person with disabilities can be physically demanding, especially for older caregivers, who make up half of all caregivers. One third of all caregivers describe their own health as fair to poor. Caregivers often worry that they will not outlive the person for whom they are caring. Caregivers often suffer from depression. Caregivers are also more likely to become physically ill. What is caregiver stress? Caregiver stress is a daily fact of life for many caregivers. Caregiving often takes a great deal of time, effort, and work. Many caregivers struggle to balance caregiving with other responsibilities including full-time jobs and caring for children. Constant stress can lead to "burnout" and health problems for the caregiver. Caregivers may feel guilty, frustrated, and angry from time to time. Caregivers often need help caring for an elderly or disabled care receiver. Sometimes other family members or friends and neighbors are able to help, but many caregivers do most or all of the caregiving for a loved one alone. Research has shown that caregivers often are at increased risk for depression and illness. This is especially true if they do not receive enough support from family, friends, and the community. Caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or other kinds of dementia at home can be overwhelming. The caregiver must cope with declining abilities and difficult behaviors. Basic activities of daily living often become hard to manage for both the care receiver and the caregiver. As the disease worsens, the care receiver usually needs 24-hour care. What can caregivers do to prevent stress and burnout? Caregivers can call upon others for support and assistance. Other family members, friends, and neighbors may be able to help in different ways. It may not be easy to ask for help, and you may need to make very specific requests. But getting help from others will benefit you and the person you are caring for. Respite care can be a good way to get a break (respite) from constant caregiving. If other caregivers aren't available to fill in for the main caregiver, respite care services may be available in the community. As a caregiver, you can take steps to take care of your own health: Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and low in saturated fat. Ask your health care provider about taking a multivitamin as well. Try to get enough sleep and rest. Find time for some exercise most days of the week. Regular exercise can help reduce stress and improve your health in many ways. See your health care provider for a checkup. Talk to your provider about symptoms of depression or illness that you may be having. Get counseling if needed. Stay in touch with friends. Social activities can help keep you feeling connected and help with stress. Faith-based groups can offer support and help to caregivers. Find a support group for other caregivers in your situation (such as caring for a person with dementia). Many support groups are available online through the Internet. What is the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)? The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) is a federally-funded program through the Older Americans Act. It helps states provide services to help family caregivers. These services include: - Information to caregivers about available services
- Help to caregivers in gaining access to services
- Individual counseling, organization of support groups, and caregiver training
- Respite care
- Supplemental services, on a limited basis, to complement the care provided by caregivers.
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