Many caregivers arereluctantly thrustinto their role withoutpreparation because theneed for care usuallycomes with littlewarning. Caregiversend up operating in a“crisis” mode: arrangingmedical care andliving arrangements,scheduling care time,providing meals andhousehold chores andso forth. In the midstof the stress they rarelytake time to find outwhat resources areavailable to help them.
We’ve all taken a sick childto a doctor’s office, been witha parent or grandparent at thehospital, or endured first–hand amajor medical procedure. In themidst of the emergency there isoften one caregiver who standsout, who goes the extra mile andmakes his or her patients feelbetter with just their presence.Maybe that caregiver was professionallytrained; maybe it wasa dedicated family member orfriend. But who is there for themwhen they need help?
These caregivers and socialworkers dedicate much oftheir lives to taking care of ourchildren and families in need,our elderly, and our mentally ill.The demand for their expertise isgrowing.
According to the Bureau ofLabor Statistics, the call forsocial workers is expected togrow twice as fast as any otheroccupation, especially in areasof gerontology, home healthcare,substance abuse, private socialservice agencies, and schoolsocial work. Those numbersrepresent just the paid caregivers.There are countless familymembers taking on this role inhouseholds across Texas and thenation every day.
Those high demands on acaregiver result in a great deal ofstress.
A 2003 study on the effectthat stress has on caregivers haslent credence to the oft–repeatedadage “stress can kill you”. Theteam, led by Dr. Janice Kiecolt–Glaser, reports on a six–yearstudy of elderly people caringfor spouses with Alzheimer’sDisease. The study not onlyfound a significant deteriorationin the health of caregivers whencompared to a similar group ofnon–caregivers, but also foundthe caregivers had a 63 percenthigher death rate than the controlgroup.
As we celebrate NationalProfessional Social Work Monththis March, we also look at somestrategies to deal with caregiverstress.
Ask for help.
Ironically, caregivers oftensever ties with family, friendsand support groups just whenhelp from these people is mostneeded.
As a caregiver you must askfor help. If it’s difficult to ask foryourself, use an advocate: a sibling,friend or professional caremanager to arrange a meetingand get formal, written commitmentsfrom those peoplewho are willing to help you. Theextra help will give you breathingroom to find all those resourcesthat are there to help you.
Seek care management advice.
A number of organizationsand private companies willgive you advice and guidance,many for free. A good source ofprofessional advice is the rapidlygrowing non–medical home carecompanies, also called PersonalAssistance Services. Most willoffer free consultations and thesecompanies will also provide paidaides to help you with your lovedone. They can assist with dutieslike bathing, dressing, shopping,household chores, transportation,companionship and muchmore.
Use assistive technology.
There are a number of technologiesto make sure your lovedones are safe while you’re away.The QuietCare system of sensorstracks and reports a patient’sactivity from key areas like thebedroom, bathroom and kitchen.Activity reports can be emailedto family members. DailyMedis another helpful resource. Itcompiles all prescriptions, overthe–counter medications andvitamins, and organizes theminto pre–sorted packets clearlymarked with the date and timethey should be taken. An entire30–day supply is delivered to thehome in a convenient dispensingbox.
Make plans for funding futurecare arrangements for you or fora healthy parent.
Recent studies show that longterm care insurance (LTCI)positively impacts not only thepatient but also the caregiver. Acaregiver whose loved one carriesinsurance is twice as likelyto continue working than thosecaring for non–insured relatives.In addition, working caregiversof those with long term careinsurance said they were lesslikely to experience stress. If theyare not feeling well themselvesthey are not compelled to giveconstant attention to the carerecipient or provide care personallybecause they have options.Also, the group with insurancedevoted more “quality time”,more companionship and lesshands–on assistance than thegroup without.
See if your healthy parentcan still buy insurance. If he orshe can’t afford it, see if otherfamily members might contributeto premiums. There are alsouseful strategies using a reversemortgage to buy long–term careinsurance and life insurance foryour loved ones. You should alsoconsider insurance for yourselfso when you need care somedayit won’t be so stressful on yourcaregivers.
Take time off — find temporarysubstitutes.
Taking a break from caregivingis just as important astaking a break at work or takingthat long–awaited vacation. Acare manager may be of helpin selecting the best temporaryhelp to give you a break. Or youmay make arrangements withfamily or friends to give you abreak from caregiving. The timeyou give yourself now will resultin less stress on you and betteroverall quality of care.
