Caregiver's Stress © Dr. Eileen Silva

Do you, like many other Baby Boomers, now find yourself caring for older relatives or friends who have health problems or disabilities and need assistance with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and eating? If so, you are part of one fourth of American families who are caring for an older family member, an adult child with disabilities, or a friend. You are one of more than 7 million Americans who are caregivers to older adults. The average amount of time these Americans spend on caregiving is about 20 hours per week with many of these hours spent in physically-demanding work.

I would like to ask you a question? How is your own personal health? One third of caregivers describe their personal health as fair to poor, and many worry that they won’t outlive the person for whom they are caring. As you and other caregivers struggle to balance caregiving with other responsibilities, including full-time jobs and caring for children, constant stress can lead to "burnout" and health problems. You may feel guilty, frustrated, and angry from time to time, suffer from depression, and become ill easily yourself.

For example, caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or other kinds of dementia at home can be overwhelming. The caregiver must cope with declining abilities and difficult behaviors that affect even basic activities of daily living that often become hard to manage for both the care receiver and the caregiver.

As the disease worsens, the care receiver usually needs 24-hour care. To sustain this, and other types of prolonged stress and care, you need to call upon other family members, friends, and neighbors for help. If other caregivers aren't available to fill in, respite care services may be available in the community to help you. Respite care can be a good way for you to get a break (respite) from constant caregiving.

National Women’s Health Information Center gives these recommendations to help you take care of your own health:

· Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and low in saturated fat. Ask your health care provider about taking a multivitamin as well.
· Try to get enough sleep and rest.
· Find time for some exercise most days of the week. Regular exercise can help reduce stress and improve your health in many ways.
· See your health care provider for a checkup. Talk to your provider about symptoms of depression or illness that you may be having. Get counseling if needed.
· Stay in touch with friends. Social activities can help keep you feeling connected and help with stress. Faith-based groups can offer support and help to caregivers.
· Find a support group for other caregivers in your situation (such as caring for a person with dementia). Many support groups are available online through the Internet.

If you are a caregiver, remember to care for your own health as well as that of your loved one. Seek comfort, help, time to refresh yourself, and regular exercise to ensure that you will remain able to give that care and still maintain your personal wellness.