Caregiving for Loved OnesBy: Andrea O’Bright – AHEC Intern for Calumet County Health Division

It is estimated that 21% of United States homes have responsibilities involving caregiving. Caregivers that do not get paid give about 90% of long-term care. Most of these unpaid caregivers are family, friends, or neighbors. The most typical caregivers are 46-year-old women, who have had completed some college. These women are usually caring for their mother more than 20 hours per week. Most of these caregivers said they do not see the doctor, because their worries for their loved ones are greater than the worries for themselves. They also said it’s hard to find time for themselves, deal with stress, and balance work and responsibilities in their families. About half of the caregivers that have had worsening health due to taking care of a loved one, have also said that this has made it harder for them to give care.

Caregiving can take a great toll on a person’s health. There have been studies that show the amount of physical and emotional stress a caregiver deals with increases their risk for diseases, heart problems, diabetes, and cancer. A caregiver is also twice as likely to become depressed throughout their time caregiving.

Caregivers can take steps to protect their health while providing care to their loved ones. Some examples of things they can do include: staying up to date on vaccines; getting yearly check-ups and telling their doctor they are a caregiver; taking some time for themselves each day to read, walk, listen to music, talk to friends, etc.; eating healthy foods and avoiding skipping meals; finding resources for caregivers in the area in case they may need them. It is also recommended that these caregivers ask for help and support from other family members or neighbors to make it less stressful on themselves. You must care for yourself in order to care for your loved ones!