Family Caregiving

One of my older sisters, Shaye, assumed the role of family caregiver. She drove to our mother’s home, and did bills & pills, grocery shop, wash clothes and dishes, take her to appointments (which she had made for her), and more…much more.


When she wasn't on the road or at Mom's house, she did things that didn’t require being on-the-spot. Was she a noble person? I think so. She didn’t think of what she did in those terms.  She did it because it had to be done. And, like the 65 million others out there doing the same thing, she didn't charge for her services.


It’s been estimated that annual costs associated with family caregiving in the US amount to approximately $535 Billion. But wait – 70% of the cost for caregiving services, about $375 Billion, is provided free of charge by people like my sister (with only $158 billion in cash actually being “spent”). But does that mean that 70% of services are really free? Read on – and draw your own conclusions.


I saw, and still see, the toll this responsibilty took on my sister, and I do not know how she held up through it.  There is no way she could have any idea how much I appreciate everything that she did and how aware I am of the strenght of character it took for her to endure.

 
Did I forget to mention that, during these years, she also had a disabled husband at home and was raising her 2 grandchildren?


These statistics are from the National Family Caregivers Association:

• 20% of employed caregivers over 50 report symptoms of depression compared to 8% for non-caregiving peers.

• 40 – 70% of family caregivers have clinically significant symptoms of depression …and about half of these caregivers meet the diagnostic criteria for major depression.

• Family caregivers experiencing extreme stress have been shown to age prematurely. This level of stress can take as much as 10 years off a family caregiver’s life.

• The stress of caring for a person with dementia can impact the caregiver’s immune system for up to three years – thereby increasing the caregiver’s chances of developing a chronic illness.

• 72% of family caregivers report not going to the doctor as often as they should.

See the National Family Caregivers Assoc. website for these statistics, and more.


And while we Boomers are struggling right now to provide care for our parents, our spouses, our disabled children or other loved ones, what are we going to do to prepare for our own care when the time comes?


Read those stats again. Family caregiving is thankless, stressful, damaging to one’s health and well-being. Yet, if we continue to wake up each morning, then the day will come when we’ll need care, too!


As we Baby Boomers age, we will see the numbers of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia double within our lifetimes. Exactly how is care going to be provided?


We need a national discussion about how caregiving will be provided for us Boomers in the very near future. We can’t continue to provide caregiving in a haphazard, health-depleting fashion.


A tsunami of caregiving need is heading in our direction. And I predict – if we don’t prepare, then this tsunami is going to wipe every last one of us off our feet!


NOTE TO SHAYE:
You've spent a lot of years in hell.  The sacrifices you made were selfless and many.  I am so proud and happy for where you are now and the struggle I have witnessed gives me strength and hope.  I love you. 


View the original article here