Caregivers' Corner
Are you a family caregiver? If you are one of millions of Americans caring for a loved one in the home. The number of family caregivers and their needs are growing daily. As an agency providing homecare, private duty and hospice services, NHA is here to support you in every way we can.
What you see here is just a little information we hope you will find useful. We encourage you to seek out all the information you can about your challenge. Find every resource you can through family and friends, social services, churches, and of course us – NHA.
What is a Family Caregiver?
A family caregiver is someone who helps another person with personal care, household chores, errands, finances and such. Family caregivers commonly help with things like these:
- Assist someone with things such as grooming, dressing, bathing, eating, moving around the house and toileting.
- Help with the administering of medications.
- Drive someone to and from medical appointments.
- Communicate with healthcare professionals.
- Contact community service organizations such as the Area Agency on Aging, Meals on Wheels, or the Alzheimer's Association.
- Help arrange for homecare or hospice services.
- Assist someone in bill paying.
- Help someone clean his or her home or arrange for housecleaning.
- Do home repairs and yard work or arrange for someone else to do so.
A Few Statistics
Compiled by the National Family Caregivers Association
Caregiving is no longer predominantly a women's issue. Men now make up 44% of the caregiving population.
Source: National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) Random Sample Survey of 1000 Adults, Funded by CareThere.com, Summer, 2000.
Virtually one half of the US population has a chronic condition. Of these 41 million were limited in their daily activities. Twelve million are unable to go to school, to work, or to live independently.
Source: Chronic Care in America (Institute for Health & Aging, Univ. of CA/SF for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) 1996
People over 85 years of age are the fastest growing segment of the population. Half of them need some help with personal care.
Source: US Bureau of the Census Statistical Brief, Sixty Five Plus in the United States, May 1995
The pool of family caregivers is dwindling. In 1990 there were 11 potential caregivers for each person needing care. In 2050 that ratio will be 4:1.
Source: Chronic Care in America - as above
Sixty-one percent (61%) of "intense" family caregivers (those providing at least 21 hours of care a week) have suffered from depression. Some studies have shown that caregiver stress inhibits healing.
Source: National Family Caregivers Association/Fortis Long Term Care (Caregiving Across the Life Cycle) 1998; Lancet 1995;346 (Slowing of Wound Healing by Psychological Stress - Kiecolt-Glaser, JK et al)
Heavy-duty caregivers, especially spousal caregivers, do not get consistent help from other family members. One study has shown that as many as three fourths of these caregivers are "going it alone".
Source: Caregiving Across the Life Cycle - as above
A recent study calculated that American businesses lose between $11 billion and $29 billion each year due to employees’ need to care for loved ones 50 years of age and older.
Source: National Alliance for Caregiving/Met Life (Met Life Study of Employer Costs for Working Caregivers)
Fifty-nine percent of the adult population either is or expects to be a family caregiver.
Source: National Family Caregivers Association (Random Sample Survey of 1,000 Adults Sponsored by Aleve)
Caregiver Profile
Statistics provided by the National Family Caregivers Association
- Sex
- Female: 82%
- Male: 18%
- Marital Status
- Married: 74%
- Single: 12%
- Widowed/Divorced: 14%
- Age
- 25 to 35: 6%
- 36 to 50: 34%
- 51 to 65: 36%
- 66 to 80: 22%
- Over 80: 2%
- Kids at Home
- Yes: 23%
- No: 77%
- Employed
- Yes: 47%
- - Full Time: 34%
- - Part Time: 13%
- No: 53%
- For Whom They Care
- Spouse: 48%
- Parent: 24%
- Child: 19%
- Sibling/Friend: 9%
Caregiver Burnout Warning Signs
Burnout describes the state of an individual who, over a period of time, expends energy and effort without a balancing amount of time to recover from that expenditure. While this most often describes a reaction to a work environment, it does in fact apply to a variety of situations, including giving care to others.
Common Warning Signs of Caregiver Burnout
- Extreme fatigue, lack of concentration and insomnia
- Depression and loss of the ability to cope with everyday things
- Denial about the severity/outcome of illness
- Misdirected anger towards others, including the patient
- General irritability
- Mood swings
- Withdrawal from activities and friends
- Lack of appetite
- Expression of anxiety about the future
- General health problems
What Can You Do?
If you feel that some of these warning signs may be present for you or someone you know, consider asking a professional health care worker about ways to help avoid and recover from burnout. There are many options available, from asking other friends and family to help to having a professional health care worker come and assist on a regular basis.
The Top Three Most Common Difficulties
While there are many difficulties that a caregiver may face in day to day care, here are the top three:
- No consistent help from other family members (76%)
- Sense of isolation and lack of understanding from others (43%)
- Loss of personal and leisure time (36%)