Caregivers: a large yet often overlooked audience. Are you one?

Home Instead Senior Care can give caregivers peace of mind and help them to reduce stress by providing additional caregiving support

Did you know that 45 million adults are caregivers to a friend or parent over 50 years old? A report released last month by AARP, in conjunction with the MetLife Foundation and the National Alliance for Caregiving, sheds light on this large but often ignored part of American life.

Often these individuals do not call themselves caregivers — they think of themselves simply as “daughter,” “son,” or “friend.”

Many caregivers share some of the same experiences — like emotional stress. Thirty-one percent said they experience a high level of emotional stress from caregiving. Fourteen percent claim physical strain is a problem, but notably16 percent say that caregiving has made their own health worse. Caregivers tend to let taking care of their own selves slide.

Whatever the nature of the stress caregiving exerts on those who provide it, it can be daunting. “It can encompass you,” says Elinor Ginzler, Senior Vice President of AARP. “You can feel you’re the only one doing this.”

Lack of time is another tough issue for caregivers. Fifty percent work full time, while 11 percent work part time. More than half of all caregivers say they have less time for friends or other family members because of their caregiving responsibilities. Caregivers often help with grocery shopping (cited by 75 percent), housework (75 percent), preparing meals (64 percent), managing finances (62 percent) and giving medication (42 percent). “There’s an immense juggling act,” says Ginzler.

Thirty one percent of caregivers “feel they need help or information on finding time for themselves.”  But few caregivers use the Internet to find that kind of information. Many said they rarely turned to the Internet or never used it at all to find information that would help with being a caregiver. 

This is really unfortunate, as there is so much information available to caregivers, and there are local Richmond resources like Home Instead who can give a caregiver a hand even in an emergency situation, when additional help is needed same day.

At Home Instead Senior Care of Richmond, we haven’t forgotten about all the caregivers out there struggling to get everything done. In fact, we’re here to alleviate the stress caregivers fall under. We offer a variety of services that can lighten your load, and help you be a “daughter,” “son,” or “friend” to your loved one, rather than a person overwhelmed by responsibilities.

Find out more about the services and care we offer today.  Simply call us at 804.527.1100 for a free, no-obligation home care assessment.  You’ll be glad you did.