Caregiver Support is Closer Than You Think

Caregiving is a critical job. When someone is an older senior, becomes ill, disabled, or living with a mental disorder, it is a blessing to have a family member who is able and willing to care for them. Yet, caregiver health is often placed on the back burner. This is understandable, but never a good idea.

For example, research suggests that among elderly spousal caregivers, roughly 10-20% may die before the spouse for whom they are caring. Self-care in this context can be one of the best ways to sustain caring for your loved one. Many caregivers are adult women (although there are male caregivers) with jobs and families who also care for an aging parent. This role reversal is stressful for both the senior and the caregiver.

If you are caring for an elderly parent, you may feel alone, especially if you are the only one who can help. However, caregiver support is more available than you think and comes in multiple forms.

What is a caregiver support group?

Caregiver support groups vary, but they all have a common denominator: they are places for caregivers to hold conversations that encourage and support one another. They share resources and can also be a place to turn to while grieving if your loved one passes away.

Caregiver support groups meet online and in brick-and-mortar facilities. If you choose to join a group online, you may find groups that meet in online forums, through a live feed on social media, on a social media group page, or through live video meetings. Groups that meet in person may do so at a local counseling center, a community building, a church, or a coffee shop. It is up to the host and the attendees where they would like to meet.

Give each a try to find one that fits your personality best.

Caregiver Support Resources

Caregiver support is available in various forms. You may need to check online or with your local Area Agency on Aging to locate specific organizations.

Respite Care

Respite care gives you a few hours or a day to run errands or take a break. A nurse or home healthcare aide comes to the home with respite care. This person is trained to care for your loved one. They will help with medication management, making meals, light cleaning, bathing, and dressing.

Depending on your schedule, you can request respite care for a few hours once a week or several days. You can also arrange for respite care elsewhere besides at home. If your family member is spending a day at an adult daycare facility, you can request respite care for those hours on-site.

Senior Center

If your loved one is feeling up to it, taking them to a senior center for a day of events can free you up for a few hours to run errands or sit in a coffee shop for a break.

Most senior centers run programs that the local aging population would enjoy. For example, the local senior center may print a monthly calendar with events and special guests. They may schedule a Christmas concert, host a knitting group, play BINGO, or have special dinners.

Your family member would need to be able to care for themselves while attending the program unless you plan to stay with them or hire respite care services.

Adult Daycare

Unlike a senior center, adult day care facilities employ aides available to help the attendees with basic needs when required. Attending an adult day care facility gives your family member much-needed socialization within the community. Attendees are typically aging seniors and adults with disabilities.

These facilities offer programs like the senior centers, but also health screenings, flu shots, medical care, and physical therapy. Some facilities provide transportation services to and from the center. You can arrange for your loved one to attend anywhere from a few hours to all day if needed. Meals are provided.

Adult daycare is a safe option when you need to attend an appointment or meeting. You can also consult the list of programs at the beginning of the month and plan your caregiver time off around a couple of events that interest your loved one.

Caregiver Support Groups

Caregiver support groups are great outlets and resources. The people attending are caregivers themselves. You can listen to their stories and learn how to manage certain situations. The caregiver support group may be peer-led and have a casual atmosphere, or the group could be hosted by a counselor or geriatric professional and have a more structured meeting.

Take the time to visit different support groups to decide what style you like better. Caregiver support groups can also be specialized to focus on specific health conditions and needs.

Caregivers of Seniors This category concerns those caregivers who take care of their aging parents or grandparents, full or part-time. This role comes with its own set of challenges, such as learning how to manage medications and dealing with the frustrations of role reversal. Sometimes, aging parents resent being cared for by the very person they raised.

Caregivers for People with Mental Disorders and Disabilities Learning everything you can about a loved one’s mental condition or disability will help you to care for them effectively. Support groups specializing in this type can provide you with more resources and suggestions for dealing with issues you may encounter. You may also be able to find groups for a specific condition, such as a caregiver support group for people with cerebral palsy.

Caregivers for People with Alzheimer’s and Dementia Diseases that affect memory can make caregiving harder. They may also require longer-term caregiving. It is tough to watch a loved one struggle with the effects of Alzheimer’s or dementia. Finding a support group specializing in diseases affecting memory will benefit you.

You can bounce ideas off the other members and ask about local resources. If you must enroll your loved one in an assisted living center with a memory floor, you can receive recommendations from the group to help narrow your search.

Caregivers Who Work a Full-time Job With the economy, it is not uncommon for a caregiver to work a full-time job while caring for a loved one the rest of the time. This does not leave the caregiver much time to rest.

For example, there are 168 hours in one week. If the caregiver spends 40 hours a week at work, 5 hours a week commuting, 49 hours a week sleeping (generous seven hours a night), and 7 hours a week cooking and cleaning (that number is probably higher), then they spend around 67 hours caring for their loved one. That is almost like working two full-time jobs with no time off.

This overwhelming schedule is why many caregivers who work full-time schedules face burnout. Taking advantage of caregiver support can save you from stretching yourself too thin.

Since many caregivers juggle a family along with their caregiver responsibilities, you may be able to find caregiver support groups for those in the “sandwich” generation who care for both aging parents and children at home.

Caregiver Support Groups Led by a Counselor

Joining a caregiver support group led by a counselor ensures that you will receive up-to-date information and techniques backed by science. The meeting will probably be structured and a safe place to share your struggles without judgment or blame.

A counselor can also work with each person as they share to see if they are getting too close to burnout. They can see and hear the red flags. The more stress the caregiver is under, the more likely she will begin to have problems in other personal relationships. She may become angry and resentful, impatient, forgetful, and complain of physical ailments such as headaches and body aches.

Caregivers nearing burnout can develop anxiety and depression, among other mental disorders.

Are you struggling as a caregiver?

If your health is declining and you feel as if you are at your wits’ end, you may be close to caregiver burnout. I would be honored to provide you with guidance and encouragement as you navigate the difficult challenges of caregiving. Together, we can locate resources and support for you and your loved one. Make your health a priority. Contact our office today to schedule an appointment.