A new caregiver can easily be overwhelmed by a deluge of unfamiliar terms that may or may not have any applicability to a particular person’s situation. Most people are not familiar with the meaning of and differences between “assisted living”, “continuing care”, “skilled care”, “nursing care”, “respite care”, “home health care”, “palliative care” or a host of other terms until they are in a caregiving situation and need to learn—fast.
The care recipient often doesn’t have a handle on all these things either. While technology can help, it can also complicate matters. Some bills, notices and correspondence comes electronically, others by mail. “What did dad do with his checkbook?”
All of this adds to the caregiver’s stress levels, and the higher stress can make a difference.
A recent study by Genworth, Beyond Dollars 2015, revealed some significant statistics.
Stress on caregivers can affect their health and well-being. Fifty-five percent of caregivers did not feel qualified to provide physical care. Nearly 33 percent of caregivers reported an extremely high level of stress. Forty-three percent of caregivers said the LTC event negatively affected their personal health and well-being. Forty-four percent of caregivers experienced negative feelings such as depression.
Ken’s issues with his siblings are not unusual. Thirty-five percent of caregivers said the experience negatively affects their relationships with other family members or spouses.
Sixty-two percent of caregivers also reported spending some of their own funds for items related to caregiving. Many caregivers are often faced with cutting back on personal expenses like vacations or reducing savings which adds to the stress. Forty-five percent said they reduced their base standard of living and 38 percent reduced savings or retirement contributions.
Ken started his caregiving as he retired, but many caregivers are still working. Looking after someone can easily become a second job. About a third of respondents in the Genworth survey reported spending 30 hours or more per week on care-related activities. With all the time and attention needed for caregiving, it is little wonder that many reported adverse consequences for their careers.
Seventy-seven percent of caregivers reported missing some time at work. Fifty-two percent had to reduce their hours (seven hours a week on average). Forty-one percent lost vacation or sick time. Twenty-six percent reported missing career opportunities and 11 percent lost their jobs entirely.
Some of the stress of caregiving can be relieved. Most often relief comes through some combination of additional caregivers, additional funding sources and respite care for the caregivers. All of these are acquired more easily, efficiently and effectively through planning.