Not taking care of yourself may be a lifelong pattern, with taking care of others an easier option. Many times, attitudes and beliefs form personal barriers that stand in the way of caring for yourself. But there is a great deal that you can do to take responsibility for your personal well-being and to get your own needs met. You cannot stop the impact of a chronic or progressive illness or a debilitating injury on someone for whom you care. Studies show that an estimated 46 percent to 59 percent of caregivers are clinically depressed. Caregivers are more likely to have a chronic illness than are non-caregivers, namely high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and a tendency to be overweight. On the other hand, exhaustion, worry, inadequate resources, and continuous care demands are enormously stressful. On the one hand, caring for your family member demonstrates love and commitment and can be a very rewarding personal experience. Caregiving can be an emotional roller coaster. Postponement of or failure to make medical appointments for themselvesįamily caregivers are also at increased risk for depression and excessive use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.Regardless of age, sex, and race and ethnicity, caregivers report problems attending to their own health and well-being while managing caregiving responsibilities. If you are a baby boomer who has assumed a caregiver role for your parents while simultaneously juggling work and raising adolescent children, you face an increased risk for depression, chronic illness, and a possible decline in quality of life.īut despite these risks, family caregivers of any age are less likely than non-caregivers to practice preventive healthcare and self-care behavior. Older caregivers are not the only ones who put their health and well-being at risk. 1 The combination of loss, prolonged stress, the physical demands of caregiving, and the biological vulnerabilities that come with age place you at risk for significant health problems as well as an earlier death. For example, if you are a caregiving spouse between the ages of 66 and 96 and are experiencing mental or emotional strain, you have a risk of dying that is 63 percent higher than that of people your age who are not caregivers. Researchers know a lot about the effects of caregiving on health and well-being. We hear this often: “My husband is the person with Alzheimer’s, but now I’m the one in the hospital! ” Such a situation is all too common. Effects of Caregiving on Health and Well-Being When your needs are taken care of, the person you care for will benefit, too. Caring for yourself is one of the most important-and one of the most often forgotten-things you can do as a caregiver. Only when we first help ourselves can we effectively help others. What do you do? As we all know, the first rule is to put on your own oxygen mask before you assist anyone else. On an airplane, an oxygen mask descends in front of you. Taking Responsibility for Your Own Care.Effects of Caregiving on Health and Well-Being.
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