The Reality Facing Caregivers Today

About 40 million Americans are caregivers to an adult over 50 years of age. If you are a caregiver and have felt the emotional and financial impacts, you are not alone. The impacts of caregiving are evident in a recent report by the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) and the Cigna Foundation. The researchers analyzed a total of 6,700 conversations from websites where families discuss their experiences of caring for a loved one.

The report showed that the state of mind, social life, and health of many caregivers is harmed by caregiving duties and responsibilities. Unsurprisingly, having to see their loved ones suffer makes caregivers feel sad and helpless. The main negative emotions caregivers experience are grief (29%), mental fatigue (29%) and anxiety (20%). Many also reported that their increased responsibilities as caregivers negatively impacted their social lives. 41% reported a rise in resentment towards families. An inability to leave the home made 33% feel isolated and 10% feel neglected by society.

The financial burden of caregiving can also become a problem as caregivers frequently have to deprioritize work. One participant expressed the following: “fast forward 8 years: I’m exhausted, broke, still not getting any help”.

Despite these clear emotional and financial burdens, many reported that the healthcare organizations who work with them do not provide enough support and information. Although caregiving comes with many challenges, most people want to help their family members as much as they possibly can. They want to be there for their loved ones when they need them. However, we also have to understand the emotional, physical, and financial toll it can take — and seek support and take a break sometimes.

There are a number of organizations working on helping caregivers with emotional and financial issues. For example, the Alzheimer Society and Collaborative Aging, developed the Caregiver Support Framework. The document was created based on information provided by focus groups and interviews with caregivers and healthcare professionals. The purpose of the framework is to “improve the way clinicians and organizations provide caregivers the support they need”

At Peacefully, we recognize that many caregivers might feel anxious and overwhelmed. We want our resources to be easily accessible and help reduce the financial and logistical stress many already find themselves in when caring for a close friend or family member.

Are you currently caring for a loved one? Follow this link for helpful resources.

Have you ever been a caregiver for someone? What did you find the most challenging or rewarding? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.