Caring for the Caregivers

National Caregivers Day is the third Friday of February (this year February 16^th) and caregiver mental health is often neglected. Caregivers provide important, often unpaid, assistance for another person’s needs. While caregiving can bring satisfaction, it can impact the caregivers ability to work, maintain relationships and social interactions, and maintain good physical and mental health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

22.3% of adults reported providing care or a assistance to a friend or family member in the past 30 days
25.4% of women are caregivers compared to 18.9% men
31.3% of caregivers provided 20 or more hours per week of care and over half (53.8%) have give care or assistance for 24 months or more

The CDC data also found that caregivers often neglect their own health needs when they are taking care of others. Over half (53%) of caregivers indicated a health decline that impacted their ability to provide care. The data shows:

17.6% of caregivers reported experiencing 14 or more physically unhealthy days in the past month
14.5% of caregivers reported experiencing 14 or more mentally unhealthy days in the past month
36.7% of caregivers reported getting insufficient sleep
40.7% of caregivers report having two or more chronic diseases
33.0% of caregivers reported having a disability

Often people are not prepared for the responsibility that comes with taking care of a friend or family member, financially, mentally, or physically. According to the AARP Press caregivers spend on average $7242 per year. Minority families, generation x, y, and z are significantly more impacted. Individuals who are have to take time off of work are even more financially impacted (2019).

Psychologically, caregivers exhibit:

Higher levels of stress
Anxiety
Depression
Feeling frustrated, angry, drained, guilty, or helpless
Loss of self identity
Lower levels of self esteem
Constant worry
Feelings of uncertainty
Less self-acceptance
Feeling less in control of their lives
Exhaustion

As discussed on a previous post, the mind and body are connected and therefore mental health impacts physical health. The rise in stress can increase cortisol (steroid hormone) levels which can lead to heart disease. Furthermore, increased psychological symptoms can lead to increased use of unhealthy coping strategies such as alcohol and other substances. It can be difficult for caregivers to find support and ways to take care of themselves.

What can caregiver do to care for themselves? There has been research that has shown that caregiver stress can be helped by:

Having access to support services
Caregiver education
Additional support persons to reduce caregiver burden
Financial support
Primary health care
Mental health care

At TriWellness, we have specialists who provide care for caregivers. We support caregivers who are experiencing stress or other general mental health concerns, chronic illness, or trauma.