| Caring for senior citizens or disabled individuals can be | | | | doing your best. |
| difficult and often results in emotional and physical | | | | - Establish a daily routine and make prioritized "to do" |
| strain known as caregiver stress. This stress can | | | | lists. |
| cause one to feel frustrated or angry, guilty, lonely, and | | | | - Stay connected with friends and family members, |
| exhausted. And, although caregivers are generally in | | | | and make time each week to spend time with others |
| good health, research indicates that caregivers are | | | | in a capacity that is relaxing and enjoyable for you. |
| more likely to experience depression and anxiety, have | | | | - Join a support group for caregivers; it can help remind |
| higher levels of stress-induced hormones, and have a | | | | you that you are not alone. Also, other caregivers can |
| higher incidence of obesity. Still, one research study | | | | offer support and advice for how to cope with what |
| has found a difference in health between caregivers | | | | you are going through. |
| who felt stressed and those who did not. Senior | | | | - Finally, take care of yourself. Eat well-balanced meals, |
| citizens who felt stressed as a result of taking care of | | | | maintain a healthy weight, and get enough sleep. Talk |
| a disabled spouse were more likely to die within four | | | | with your doctor about any sickness or feelings of |
| years of the study than their counterparts who did not | | | | depression or anxiety that you may be experiencing. |
| feel stressed. For reasons like this, it is important that | | | | Taking a BreakSometimes, it may be necessary to |
| caregivers providing elder care or care for a disabled | | | | take a break from caregiving to reduce stress. |
| individual understand how to avoid and cope with | | | | Respite care provides relief services for people who |
| caregiver stress. | | | | need rest after caring for others. There are various |
| Symptoms | | | | types including: |
| If you are caregiver it is likely that have caregiver | | | | - In-home Respite Care. This type of elder care |
| stress if you experience the following symptoms: | | | | generally involves in home health care services from |
| - Altered sleeping habits | | | | companionship to nursing. |
| - Weight loss or gain | | | | - Adult Day Care. This type of elder care is often held |
| - Constantly feeling worried, overwhelmed, or sad | | | | in community centers, and sometimes transportation to |
| - Being irritable and easily angered | | | | and from the center is provided. |
| - Frequent and unexplainable headaches or other | | | | - Short-term Nursing Homes. These types of nursing |
| bodily pain | | | | homes provide care for senior citizens over the |
| If you feel like physically or emotionally harming | | | | short-term and are useful when a caregiver has to go |
| yourself or the person you are caring for, talk to your | | | | out of town for few weeks. |
| doctor immediately. He or she will be able to refer you | | | | If you are feeling overwhelmed working and taking |
| to a health care specialist that can help. | | | | care of a relative, it may be helpful to take a break |
| Preventing and Alleviating Stress | | | | from your work. Ask Human Resources about |
| Caregiver stress is associated with many serious | | | | different options for taking leave. The federal Family |
| health problems and should never be dismissed as | | | | and Medical Leave Act allows one to take as much |
| "just stress." Rather it is important that those providing | | | | as 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a loved one. |
| care for senior citizens or disabled individuals take | | | | Hiring an in home health aide will also ensure your |
| steps to reduce their stress. | | | | loved one is cared for, if you cannot always be there |
| If you feel like physically or emotionally harming | | | | or provide the care yourself. Home health aides can |
| yourself or the person you are caring for, talk to your | | | | provide care for as little as a few hours a week to 24 |
| doctor immediately. He or she will be able to refer you | | | | hours a day. They provide assistance with personal |
| to a health care specialist that can help. | | | | care, like bathing or brushing teeth. They offer |
| Preventing and Alleviating Stress | | | | housekeeping services, like laundry and light cleaning. |
| Caregiver stress is associated with many serious | | | | They also act as companions providing social |
| health problems and should never be dismissed as | | | | interaction. Finally, they assist with administering |
| "just stress." Rather it is important that those providing | | | | medications and other treatments. You can hire a |
| care for senior citizens or disabled individuals take | | | | home health aide through an in home health care |
| steps to reduce their stress. | | | | agency or independently, generally independent |
| Taking a problem-solving approach to caring for others | | | | caregivers are less expensive. |
| helps to decrease stress. For example, if someone | | | | Caregiving Services in your Community |
| with Alzheimer's continues to ask the same question | | | | Asking your doctor or case manager about resources |
| again and again, answer the question but then redirect | | | | in your community is a good place to begin locating |
| him or her. Say something like "Lets get this laundry | | | | additional caregiving services. Some of these services |
| started," or include the person in a simple task like | | | | may be free while others require payment. Local |
| folding clothes. | | | | churches, synagogues, and community centers may |
| If you are caring for someone with a certain disease | | | | give free services for senior citizens or disabled |
| or disability, be sure you understand their condition. Use | | | | individuals. The government also provides many |
| your doctor, the library, or the Internet to educate | | | | benefits at the federal, state, and local levels for senior |
| yourself. Also, your hospital or doctor's office may give | | | | citizen elder care and care for disabled individuals. To |
| classes that teach you how to take care of someone | | | | find out more about these, you can contact your local |
| with the condition your loved one has. | | | | Area Agency on Aging. You can also look into respite |
| Tips for Reducing Stress | | | | care or in home health care services available in your |
| - Research and use community resources that are | | | | area in your phone book. |
| available for both the person being cared for and the | | | | Paying for Home Health Care and Other Caregiving |
| caregiver. | | | | Services |
| - Do not be afraid to ask for and accept help. Often, | | | | Medicare, Medicaid, private "Medigap" policies or health |
| friends and family members are willing to provide | | | | insurance, or long-term care insurance may cover |
| assistance like taking the elderly or disabled person on | | | | some of costs of in home health care. Other costs will |
| a walk once a week or picking up groceries for you. | | | | have to be paid for out of pocket. |
| - Ask family members to contribute to the costs of | | | | In home health care costs depend on the services you |
| taking care of the relative who needs help. | | | | use. Non-medical workers like companions or |
| - Say "no" when necessary, it is important not to take | | | | housekeepers are much less expensive than medical |
| on too much responsibility that can lead to additional | | | | workers like nurses. Also, the cost of using in home |
| stress. | | | | health care agencies vary, but is generally more |
| - Identify what you are able to change and what you | | | | expensive than using an independent caregiver. |
| cannot. You cannot change another's behavior, but you | | | | In addition to Medicare and Medicaid, the federal |
| can change how you respond to it. | | | | government provides the National Family Caregiver |
| - Do not take on too much at once. Rather, break big | | | | Support Program. This program helps states to |
| tasks up into smaller steps and set realistic goals that | | | | provide services for caregivers. Every state offers |
| you can stick to. | | | | different types of services, many include respite care, |
| - If you begin to feel guilty, remind yourself that there is | | | | support groups, individual counseling, caregiver training, |
| no such thing as a perfect caregiver and you are | | | | and help accessing additional benefits. |