The Brockville Recorder & Times


January 22, 2004

 

Caregivers Need To Take Care Of Themselves


By Keith Pelton

It is estimated that, in little more than a decade, 20 per cent of Canadians will be over 65 years of age, a jump from the present 15 per cent, with the fastest growing segment of the population being those in the 85+ range.

According to a recent Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) report on home care in Canada, this "demographic certainty" has profound implications for the rest of the population, especially the group in the middle years who face caring or arranging care for aging relatives and friends.

In the late eighties, Ken Dychtwald's ground-breaking book Age Wave introduced the term "sandwich generation."

"Among the broad spectrum of problems and opportunities that the new, adult-centred family brings, one of the most difficult social challenges is the rise of 'the sandwich generation," he wrote. "These women and men 'in the middle' are increasingly finding themselves caught between the needs of their children on the one hand and of their aging parents on the other. Not only are more adult children caring for their parents, but there are relatively fewer caregivers for the task than there used to be. For the first time in history, the average American has more parents than children."

The stress on caregivers is "considerable," according to a report quoted by CARP. Some 29 per cent of caregivers of persons with long-term health problems stated that caregiving had altered their sleep patterns and 21 per cent claimed their health had been altered. The report called A Guide to End-of-life Care for Seniors was sponsored by Health Canada and medical departments in both the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa.

The report contains practical pointers on recognizing the signs of caregiver burnout and preventing it. Concerns expressed include denial about the disease and its effects on the person, e.g. "I know Mom will get better." Anger at the affected person, is another indicator. Withdrawing socially, losing touch with friends and favourite activities, anxiety about facing another day and what the future holds are all symptoms of caregiver stress.

Depression, feeling sad and hopeless much of the time, exhaustion, sleeplessness, emotional reactions such as being irritable, crying at minor upsets, lack of concentration and health problems that include weight gain or loss, chronic headaches or backaches are also on the list.

The report makes several suggestions.

Plan early to find ways to support yourself to stay healthy through diet, exercise, vitamins and supplements, yoga, meditation and time for yourself are high on the list. Taking time off to pursue some interest or hobby and taking advantage of offers for help from family, friends and community agencies are other ways to prevent burnout.

Support is a major resource. Have at least one person you can confide in who can give you support and to whom you can provide support as well in a mutual relationship. Spirituality can provide support. Maintain contact with others in a similar situation through support groups. Both the Alzheimer Society and the Canadian Cancer Society provide such support.

Realize there may well be a time that you will be unable to continue to care for your loved one at home and that you need not feel guilty about this.

Try to get enough rest.

The reason for focusing on caregiver health and well-being is clear, according to the guide: "A caregiver who does not take care of him/herself is not much good to his/her loved one. Do things that bring you joy and keep you going. You need to balance everything so that you can find the equilibrium that gives you energy for things you'd like to do as well as the things you have to do."