Caregiving is when one person takes responsibility for meeting the needs of another. Examples include when husbands take care of their wives, when children take care of their parents, and when grandparents take care of their grandchildren.
TRENDS IN CAREGIVING
· About one fourth of American families are caring for an older family member, an adult child with disabilities or a friend.
· Caregivers are equally both women and men.
The average amount of time spent on care giving is about 20 hours per week. Even more time is required when the care received has multiple disabilities.
RISK FOR CAREGIVERS
CHRONIC STRESS.......DEPRESSION.......CAREGIVER BURNOUT ABUSE AND NEGLECT OF THE PERSON REQUIRING CARE ALCOHOL/DRUG MISUSE
CAREGIVER STRESSORS
1. Physical: keeping up with the burden of caring for two families; physical work involving lifting, bathing, or doing the chores of the individual requiring care; sleep deprivation or compromised immunity.
2. Financial: increased household expenses; decreased income if one has to leave a job; health care and medication costs.
3. Emotional: buried feelings; the burden of the "sandwich generation" (when middle aged parents have to care for both their children and their aging loved ones); worry, guilt and lack of social support and isolation.
These programs include but are not limited to:
·
Signs and symptoms of elder mistreatment·
Risk factors for elder abuse·
Caregiver burnout·
Stress management techniques·
Caregiver support and referral resources· Maintaining Good Health
Substance Abuse and Medication Misuse
Risk factors when medication is not taken as prescribed
Dangers of taking medication and drinking alcohol
Taking charge of your health in communicating with doctors
As a companion program, Gateway to Care offers the support of bilingual Navigators to do follow up with those who need added access assistance in locating needed resources.
For more information, you may call Monica James, Caregiver Health Promotion Educator at 713.783.4616 (Monica.James@gatewaytocare.org)
OR for additional information, please visit http://hcpc.uth.tmc.edu/senior_health/index.htm.
This program is supported in part by the City acting as the Harris County Agency on Aging and Texas Department on Aging
