According to the CDC, roughly 25% of all Americans aged 45-64 provide unpaid care for a loved one or family member. While caring for others can be a rewarding experience, it can also be a demanding responsibility that can easily overwhelm members of the sandwich generation, especially if their loved one is dealing with a progressive disease such as Alzheimer’s or Dementia.
Very often, the demands of caregiving can take a toll on someone’s physical health, relationships and overall quality of life. Although it’s noble to take on the mantle of dedicating yourself to someone else’s well-being, your needs are also still important. This is why options such as respite care are an essential service that can help lighten the load for family caregivers and provide them with an outlet to much-needed support and relief.
The Toll of Caregiving for Dementia
Caring for a loved one with memory-related issues can be both physically and emotionally exhausting. Dementia patients often need regular, hands-on assistance with activities of daily living like bathing and dressing and some form of basic supervision to ensure their safety once the disease progresses. In addition, caregivers for loved ones with dementia often need to display incredible levels of patience when dealing with many of the challenging behaviors that are typical of the disease.
All of these responsibilities create intense pressure on a family caregiver, as their loved one’s well-being often comes at the price of stress, anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation and other health-related issues. In fact, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, 40% of caregivers of people with dementia display symptoms of depression and they are also more likely to suffer from chronic health conditions.
Caregiving can also be an isolating experience. Family caregivers often sacrifice their own social lives, hobbies and sometimes even their careers to maintain proper care for their loved one. By giving up these social outlets, a caregiver’s stress and depression can be amplified.
Finding Caregiver Support
As a caregiver, there is no shame in reaching out for help for yourself. There are plenty of community resources that provide support and information on how to best help your loved one. The Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is one example of a government funded organization that can connect caregivers with a range of helpful resources. These can include support groups, transportation assistance and home health services. The AAA can also help guide you through your eligibility for government-funded programs such as Medicaid or the Older Americans Act.
Utilizing In-Home Respite Care
Respite care is one of the most popular services that can provide temporary relief to family caregivers by giving them a break from their everyday responsibilities. Respite care programs are incredibly flexible and entirely personalized. You can arrange to have services for only a few hours a week if your loved one is mostly independent, or conversely, you can have a regular caregiver come in for hours every day if your loved one needs more support.
Even minimal respite care options can greatly reduce the stress on family caregivers as it gives them time to properly focus on their own physical and mental well-being. According to a study within the Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 75% of all respite care programs can greatly benefit a caregiver’s mental fortitude, as well as lessen the physical burden they feel looming over them.
The other great benefit to respite care is that it’s always available. Don’t wait until burnout finally catches up with you to actually reach out for help. Instead, recognize the need for a caregiver to have a work-life balance and utilize these services to take the time to focus on your self-care. Even if it’s for something as simple as giving you a few hours to go socialize with friends, respite care can make a big difference.
Remember, in order to properly care for someone else, a caregiver first needs to care for themselves.
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For more information on caring for a loved one with dementia, download SYNERGY HomeCare’s free Memory Care Guide.
SYNERGY HomeCare offers no obligation home assessments. Find a location near you or Contact us to talk to a Memory Care specialist.
