Show Notes:
A family caregiver is a relative or friend who provides care and support to someone living with chronic disease, disability, mental health, or age-related challenges.
There are currently 1.1 million caregivers in the province of British Columbia.
Anyone can find themselves in the role of caregiver; it’s a role that most people will take on at some point in their lives.
As an unpaid role, the family caregiver tends to be largely overlooked and underappreciated.
While most caregivers (64%) spend less than 10 hours a week on caregiving responsibilities, 1 in 3 seniors caring for a spouse spend more than 30 hours a week caregiving.
Typical daily tasks include grocery shopping, meal preparation, looking after finances, providing transportation, liaising with healthcare professionals, housework, and personal care.
While many find the experience of caregiving to be rewarding, caregivers also often report an increased level of stress and a decline in their overall health.
The level of stress tends to increase with the number of hours spent caregiving.
For someone with Alzheimer’s disease, behavioural changes may occur. If the person you are caring for becomes agitated or aggressive, it may be that they are over-tired, in pain or experiencing too much noise or confusion. Watch for early signs and deal with the cause before the behaviour begins. If the behaviour persists, seek medical guidance.
The care role often tends to blur boundaries, leaving the caregiver with a feeling of being always on alert, which in turn can lead to exhaustion and/or burnout.
Signs of caregiver burnout may include overwhelming fatigue, feelings of hopelessness, irritability or anger, difficulty coping with everyday things, trouble sleeping, depression or anxiety.
To maintain wellbeing and avoid caregiver burnout, check out community resources and reach out for support. Join a caregiver support group to connect with others who have had similar experiences. Reach out to agencies that provide support specific to the condition or disease your loved one is facing. Find ways to nurture yourself and take care of your own emotional wellbeing. Set an intention each day to actively look for moments of joy.
If you have become a caregiver for someone with whom you’ve had a difficult relationship, follow the above steps to avoid caregiver burnout, avoid arguing, step away and take deep breaths if you feel anger coming on, seek counselling and know your limitations. Find gratitude for the good things in your life.
There are many ways to support caregivers in your life. You could: reach out to let them know you’re there for them; listen without judgment or trying to fix things; suggest a way you could help, and learn about resources available in their community and share them with the caregiver.
If you’ve just begun this role, or if you’ve been caregiving for some time, know that you’re not alone. Reach out to join a caregiver support group where you can share the challenges and joys along the caregiving journey.
Resources:
To learn more about our Caregivers Connect program, email connect@familyservices.bc.ca.
To access counselling services, email our intake counsellor intake@familyservices.bc.ca.
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For additional perspective and information refer to Insights on Canadian Society: The experiences and needs of older caregivers in Canada, Paula Arriagada, November 24, 2020.
For more information and resources for Family Caregivers, refer to Family Caregivers of BC.