Page 4 - The Quiet Epidemic - Family Caregiver Burnout

The Quiet Epidemic - Family Caregiver Burnout

Family caregivers frequently fail to focus on their own health
care. Little preventative care and few routine screenings take

place. Serious conditions may not be detected until it is too late.
Stressed family caregivers age prematurely and are more likely

to develop a chronic illness themselves. This stress can
dramatically shorten a family caregiver’s life.
Caregivers for loved ones with dementia may experience an

adverse effect on their immune system. This can continue as
long as three years after the caregiving experience has ended.

So why does any of this matter?

Caring for an elderly loved one is a big deal, it is an enormous public
health issue. Family caregivers spend an average of 20 hours per
week providing care. Care is mostly for love and is uncompensated.

It is worth as much as is spent on paid home care and nursing
home services combined.

Unpaid family caregivers are a critical component of health care for

the elderly. Without family caregivers, elder care would need to be
delivered by paid care providers. If all the aging baby boomers were
dependent on paid providers for their care, our health care system

would be swamped. There would not be enough paid home care
providers, hospital beds, nursing home beds, and other required
infrastructure, and much of the cost would be borne by the already

strapped Medicare and Medicaid programs. Unpaid family
caregivers provide essential services to their elderly loved ones.
They must be able to continue to provide these services.

Family caregivers need help.

Caregivers need to reach out for assistance. The job is too big to do
alone. Family caregivers need to take immediate steps to

beat caregiver burnout.

From Caregivng Chaos, Peace