Kevin Knapp's Elder Care Blog

by Kevin Knapp, President, Right at Home of South Jersey, Cherry Hill New Jersey, Williamstown, NJ

When the entire baby boomer generation has reached retirement age in 2030, an astonishing number of U.S. families will have faced the challenge of providing care to an aging loved one.

Even today, caregivers are present in one of every five U.S. households and studies show that most often it is a family member that provides care. According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, 83 percent of those providing care to seniors are unpaid individuals such as family members, friends, and neighbors. The demand for caregiving is only expected to increase as members of the boomer generation reaching retirement age grows steadily at a rate of two percent a year between now and 2030.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that the number of family caregivers will increase by 85 percent during the first half of the current century. The combination of medical advances, shorter hospital stays and improved in-home care technology has resulted in longer lives and therefore increased in-home caregiving responsibilities.

Right at Home of South Jersey, a leading local provider of in-home companion and personal care to seniors and others, understands the challenges family members face when providing care to an aging loved one. It is with these compassionate, selfless relatives in mind that Right at Home offers this useful guide to improving the quality of life for family caregivers.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging, the physical and emotional demands placed on family members providing care for loved ones with diseases such as Alzheimer’s puts the caregivers at greater risk for health problems. The organization warns that family caregivers are more at risk for infectious diseases, such as colds and flu, and chronic diseases, such as heart problems, diabetes and cancer. In addition, depression is twice as common among family caregivers compared to non-caregivers.

The many costs of caregiving
For many, caregiving is not the only role they are filling as adults. Most are married or living with a partner, have a full time job and children at home. Thus, friends, family, spouses and even family caregivers themselves should be aware of the stress associated with caring for a loved one.

Thomas Day, director of the National Care Planning Council, an organization specializing in the area of long term care planning, suggests that there is a common stress-building pattern that caregivers endure. The following is typical among family caregivers:

•    One to 18 months–the caregiver is confident, has everything under control and is coping well. Other friends and family are lending support.
•    20 to 36 months–the caregiver may be taking medication to foster sleep and help control mood swings. Outside help dwindles, and with the exception of trips to the store or doctor, the caregiver has severed most social contacts. The caregiver feels alone and helpless.
•    38 to 50 months–Besides needing tranquilizers or antidepressants, the caregiver’s physical health may be beginning to deteriorate. A constant lack of focus and fatigue may cloud judgment and the caregiver is often unable to make rational decisions or ask for help. It is often at this stage that family or friends intercede and find other solutions for care. This may include respite care, hiring in-home care on a full-time basis or placing the elder family member in a care facility. Without intervention, the caregiver may become a candidate for long-term care as well.

Mounting financial stress also weighs on family caregivers. A 2007 National Alliance for Caregiving report indicates that up to 17 million people, or 51 percent of the 34 million caring for a loved one 50 years or older, are spending on average more than 10 percent of their annual income on caregiving expenses.

This spending combined with the services they are providing for their loved ones is estimated to be valued at more than $375 billion. This total surpasses the spending for Medicaid, including federal and state contributions which totaled $300 billion in 2005.

Managing the stress
Fortunately for family caregivers, there are steps to take that can help alleviate some of the pressures associated with caring for others. In their tips for caregivers, AARP notes, “taking care of yourself and your needs is like performing regular maintenance on your car.” The organization offers several ways for caregivers to nurture themselves and improve their well-being. These include:
•    Eating nutritious meals
•    Exercising
•    Engaging in social activities
•    Asking for help from friends and relatives
•    Taking vacations
•    Talking to friends and co-workers in similar situations
•    Clearing your mind on a daily basis through meditation, walking, reading or listening to music
•    Planning and setting priorities with realistic goals for caregiving responsibilities
•    Focusing on the positive and holding family meetings when conflict arises

Managing stress is vital to the health and longevity of caregivers and plays an important role in the ability to take care of loved ones.

Getting outside help to cope with stress
Given that most family members begin providing care to their loved ones without training or counseling, they often are not aware of the overwhelming stress associated with it. Thus, it is important to receive counseling and to develop a plan of action prior to making a caregiving commitment.

The Older Americans Act, passed in 1965, provides resources to the states in support of caregivers. All states offer programs at minimal to no cost, which include: counseling, caregiver training, respite care, adult day care, meals, and more.

In addition to state-funded programs, professional in-home care providers, such as Right at Home, work with families to relieve the burden placed on them as primary caregivers. Professional in-home care agencies offer trained, fully screened, insured and bonded caregivers who can offer services for as little as a few hours a week, when a family caregiver simply needs respite, to 24 hours a day. Their services include companion care, which includes medication reminders, meal preparation and light housekeeping. Some in-home care agencies also provide personal care, encompassing bathing and toileting.

Lastly, caregivers should consider joining a support group. Talking to others in a compassionate environment where everyone is facing similar personal situations can help caregivers vent their stressful emotions.

Conclusion: The time is now for caregivers to take action
With demand for family caregivers increasing as the aging baby boomer generation reaches retirement age, Americans have little time to waste when it comes to preparing for their caregiving responsibilities. The stress associated with caregiving is heightened for individuals ill-prepared for the future and the risks are too great to ignore. For additional information and support, contact Right at Home of South Jersey at 856-795-9707 or info@rahsj.com

About Right at Home
Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companion and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. Select offices provide light skilled nursing as well. Right at Home directly employs all caregiving staff, each of whom are thoroughly screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering a client’s home. All ongoing care is monitored and supervised by more than 160 local independent franchisees. Right at Home’s national office is based in Omaha, Nebraska with franchise offices located in 41 states nationwide. For more information on Right at Home, visit the company’s website at www.rahsj.com