Family caregivers provide significant support to those with debilitating conditions. According to the AARP, approximately 25% of Americans are caregivers for loved ones. This breakdown represents about a 50% increase in the number of caregivers over the past 10 years. Over 40% of caregivers in America provide intensive care to their loved ones by managing medical equipment, administering medication, or engaging in other complex processes. As caregivers offer crucial support to others, they often face their own struggles, such as poor health, financial difficulties and a lack of social support.
When boarding an aircraft, flight attendants promptly explain rules for safety. In that demonstration, they often discuss the importance of putting on your oxygen mask first in the event of an emergency. If you pass out from a lack of oxygen, you physically will not be able to assist those around you. This concept commonly serves as a metaphor for caregiving. Caregivers can often “put their oxygen masks on” the people around them before helping themselves. However, this can lead to burnout, health issues and mental health struggles over time. Caregivers tend to report guilt when focusing on their own personal needs. They can be isolated as they may not have adequate time for socialization, or they cannot include their family member in social activities due to the progression of the loved one’s condition. They continue to pour energy into caring for others, even at the expense of their own needs.
Fortunately, there are available resources for support.
Caregivers can utilize respite programs, which can include professional care in the home or in an adult day program to allow for rest. They can participate in specialized group therapy to gain support from others, validate their own experiences and learn skills to cope with stress and burnout. Individual therapy can also assist in these goals, and caregivers can further learn how to manage guilt, grief and other concerns. Watching a family member change due to a condition can start the process of grief, even though the loved one is still present. Grief can trigger many emotions and reactions, so receiving support through the process is needed in any form.
The efforts of caregivers are vital to the lives of so many people, yet their struggles can hide behind the scenes of their work. As caregiving can take a mental and physical toll, it is so important to recognize the hard work and difficulties that caregivers face. Everyone needs and deserves nourishment. Caregivers especially need and deserve to nourish themselves so they may effectively help others while improving their own quality of life.
