Cares for caregivers

“There are four categories of people in the world; those who have been caregivers, those who currently are caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers.”

Everybody talks about the sick and ailing but only some are concerned about the burden that caregivers face; be it physical, emotional, mental or financial. Their Quality of life worsens with each passing day.

They don’t get time to attend to their needs. According to “Caregiving in the U.S. 2020” report; caregivers may have a higher risk of mortality compared to non-caregivers, indicating potential long-term health consequences.

Almost everyone appreciates and acknowledges the contribution of formal health care system be that doctors, nurses or radiologists; they feel their pressure but what about the Care givers or Carers who didn’t get paid for their services and still cares 24*7.

People with health issues, particularly those who have a chronic illness like cancer or any other mental illness like depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or physical handicapped problem, require on-going support and care from others.

Such “health-care” is frequently given by family members who co-reside and are not covered by the official healthcare system. “Informal care” is the term used to describe this voluntary, unpaid assistance that friends and family provide to chronically ill patient. Only those who get benefitted from the care provided by informal caregivers are aware of their contributions.

Undoubtedly,we have to acknowledge that the services provided by unpaid carers are invaluable. No society, no matter how wealthy or advanced, can afford to hire professionals to take the position of all unpaid caretakers.

Caregiving has become a rising issue but due to lack of awareness, it is an under addressed condition that needs to be addressed as it has several detrimental effects. According to several researches,the quality of life of millions of people world-wide is affected by providing informal care, particularly for a person needing assistance for activities of daily living, or an individual who is suffering from a chronic mental illness or chronic illness otherwise which requires time, dedication and perseveration.

Most caregivers derive personal satisfaction while caring for someone close to them and that enables them to cope with the stress and burden of care,but sometimes the saturation point of caring could be overwhelming. This issue needs to be addressed as so many studies have revealed that Family caregivers are largely neglected by the health and long-term care systems.

We need to realize that the physical and mental health of the caregiver is at the core of successful care giving. Better health will enable caregivers to sustain care. Many a time, caregivers may not have time to look after their own health and may not undergo health check-ups for themselves and encounter health problems that could have been averted.

They may become depressed due to the overwhelming demands of care giving. According to the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and AARP’s “Caregiving in the U.S. 2020” report, caregivers are more likely to report symptoms of depression compared to non-caregivers .Also according to a study in the Journal of Aging and Health, caregivers reported higher rates of insomnia and sleep-related problems.

So caregiver interventions becomes important in improving the quality of life of the caregiver and the care recipient, if not taken into consideration the caregiver might be at a risk of burn out and this the condition is called caregiver burnout.

Caregiver burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. It may go along with a change in attitude – from positive and caring to negative and unconcerned. Burnout can happen when you don’t get the help you need, or if you try to do more than you’re able – either physically or financially. Caregivers who are “burned out” may have fatigue, stress, anxiety, and depression which effects their overall well-being.

TAKE AWAY

Information and education has a central role in caregiver interventions and shall form the basic ingredient of caregiver interventions. The caregiver and the care recipient should have an easy access to information regarding the health condition and its management.This information should include practical management tips, especially about difficult symptoms.

Caregivers should also be made aware of issues related to informal care and about their own health. Opportunities for discussion and guidance from health care providers will help. Providing emotional and social support to the care recipient and the caregivers is another essential ingredient of caregiver interventions.

It is always important to offer long-term care and support instead of a one time intervention. Caregivers should also know where to get help when home-based care faces a crisis. The need of the hour is to provide access to counselling and mental health services for caregivers to address the emotional and psychological impact of caregiving. Raising awareness about the importance of self-care will encourage caregivers to prioritize their well-being .

“Dear all! Let’s pledge that whenever we visit any chronically ill patient or an elderly loved one who is unwell, we will not forget to share a few positive words with the dedicated caregiver.

The caregiver, who sees caregiving as a test from their creator and carries out their responsibilities without a frown on their face. Lets appreciate their efforts, time and patience. Offer some voluntary support be that emotional, informational or tangible.

Ask them how they are doing. Give them a patient ear and Don’t Judge them. Respect the caregivers. Its not easy to bear the anger, aggression of patients. It is not easy to see our loved ones suffer.” It is not easy to spent sleepless nights while taking care of ill family member and resuming the work on time other morning. It is not easy to see our loved ones amidst Death and Dying…

By Mehreen Riyaz