Five Ways to Avoid the Caregiver Blues
Caregiving has some obvious costs in time, money and other resources, but one cost that does not get enough attention is the toll it can take in the form of caregiver depression.
As a geriatric care manager, one of my principal points of contact is the member of the family who has been delegated or who has defaulted into the role of caregiver for an older adult or other person with special needs.
And while we are all about the business of planning for the older parent, it also is critical to address the individual who is providing the care.
The sad irony is that the caregiver feels guilty about even talking about the dark cloud that seems to be hanging over them, guilty that they do not feel the fulfillment of taking care of the parent who once took care of them.
More than 20 million Americans suffer from depression, and caregivers are more likely than the average person to get something that is not just the "blues.
" We all recognize the time and work that a caregiver puts in to help an older adult, but what we may not fully realize is that they also may be giving up the time they would have been spending with their spouse or significant other.
Or the nights out with friends and acquaintances, the moments during any given week that would give a break from the routine, make them laugh or fulfill them.
Today's caregivers are part of the sandwich generation and have not yet fully launched their children and are also are full time employees.
Now, add to those the responsibilities and worries of caring for mom or dad and you have a recipe for depression.
If you or someone you know is a caregiver, I recommend the following strategies:
As a geriatric care manager, one of my principal points of contact is the member of the family who has been delegated or who has defaulted into the role of caregiver for an older adult or other person with special needs.
And while we are all about the business of planning for the older parent, it also is critical to address the individual who is providing the care.
The sad irony is that the caregiver feels guilty about even talking about the dark cloud that seems to be hanging over them, guilty that they do not feel the fulfillment of taking care of the parent who once took care of them.
More than 20 million Americans suffer from depression, and caregivers are more likely than the average person to get something that is not just the "blues.
" We all recognize the time and work that a caregiver puts in to help an older adult, but what we may not fully realize is that they also may be giving up the time they would have been spending with their spouse or significant other.
Or the nights out with friends and acquaintances, the moments during any given week that would give a break from the routine, make them laugh or fulfill them.
Today's caregivers are part of the sandwich generation and have not yet fully launched their children and are also are full time employees.
Now, add to those the responsibilities and worries of caring for mom or dad and you have a recipe for depression.
If you or someone you know is a caregiver, I recommend the following strategies:
- Include you; make time each day to do something that delights, relieves or distracts you.
- Make lists; prioritize your caregiving duties, make lists and you will see you are making progress even when there remains more to do.
- Request help; appreciate that it is gratifying to the others whom you may ask for help to be of help to you and your elder.
- Leverage your abilities; the others who can give you respite are actually better equipped for what you may delegate than you are, a win-win.
- Make yourself laugh; hard work like caregiving can seem devoid of fun, so you have to take time to have some fun.
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