Hi Readers, Caregiver dilemmas are far-reaching and in
this post, I am focusing on caregiver stress and burnout.
Rosalyn Carter is often quoted for her observation that
“there are only four types of people in the world: (1) those who have been
caregivers, (2) those who currently are caregivers, (3) those who will be
caregivers, and (4) those who will need caregivers.”
This TED Talk is GREAT! https://www.ted.com/talks/linda_ercoli_self_care_for_caregivers
Linda Ercoli, PhD, discusses caregiving dilemmas and
coping. She created an easy to remember acronym that helps caregivers remember
to stop and care for themselves. Caregiver burnout is a serious health threat.
S = Sand. Don’t stick
your head in it.
S =
Support group. Find one.
U = Uplift yourself
every day. Find the blessing in caregiving. No regrets.
P = Personal. Don’t take things personally.
R = Respite.
Completely get away for at least 20 minutes daily. Not negotiable! Mental
respite = don’t sweat the small stuff. Let it go. White lies are okay. It is more
important to be kind than to be correct.
Pearls of Wisdom from Dr. Ercoli:
“Love them but love yourself, too. Support
them, but support yourself, too. Help them but allow yourself to be helped. Take
care of yourself.”
Facts
from AARP report on caregivers in the USA:
The report highlights
the nearly 48 million caregivers caring for someone over the age of 18. Key
findings include:
Nearly one in five (19%) are providing unpaid care to an adult with
health or functional needs.
More Americans (24%) are caring for more than one person up from 18% in
2015.
More family caregivers (26%) have difficulty coordinating care up from
19% in 2015.
More Americans (26%) are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or
dementia up from 22% in 2015.
More Americans (23%) say caregiving has made their own health worse up
from 17% in 2015.
Family caregiving spans across all generations, including Boomers, Gen-X,
Gen-Z, Millennials, and Silent.
61% of family caregivers are also working.
More Caregiving Resources
Informal Caregivers in the United States:
Prevalence, Caregiver Characteristics, and Ability to Provide Care:
National Research Council (US) Committee on the Role of
Human Factors in Home Health Care. The Role of Human Factors in Home Health
Care: Workshop Summary. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2010.
7, Informal Caregivers in the United States: Prevalence, Caregiver
Characteristics, and Ability to Provide Care. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK210048/
Meaning and Hope Institute. https://meaningandhope.org/caregivers/
MMLearn.org. Caregiver Training Videos. Online education
for those caring for older adults: https://www.mmlearn.org/
Family Caregiver Alliance https://www.caregiver.org
#AgingExpert #Caregiving #Resources
