Signs of Caregiver Stress – Anxiety May Be the Worst

By Harriet Hodgeson

Taking care of my mother for nine years taught me about caregiver stress. My mother had progressive dementia and, as the years passed, she turned into a stranger. I didn’t know her any more. Though my husband often helped with caregiving tasks, most of the responsibilities were mine. Caregiving became a lonely experience.

“Many caregivers do most or all of the caregiving for a loved one alone,” according to the Elder Independence of Maine Website. The organization lists the warning signs of stress in its article, “The Stresses of Caregiving.” The signs of stress include denial, anger, social withdrawal, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, sleeplessness, irritability, lack of concentration, and personal health problems.

The Alzheimer’s Association lists the same signs in a Website article, “Caregiver Stress.” According to the article, “Too much stress can be damaging to both a caregiver and the person with Alzheimer’s.” This comment also applies to those who are caring for someone with sudden or chronic illness. I had all of the signs of caregiving, but anxiety was the worst. My anxiety could be divided into four parts.

1. Financial anxiety. I moved my mother to Minnesota and found a senior housing apartment for her. After she moved in I discovered she had been defrauded of $50,000 and her remaining money was almost gone. But she continued to spend money at an alarming rate. In fact, she became an addictive spender. Needless to say, I worried about her spending constantly.

2. Behavior anxiety. My mother became an angry, unpredictable person. She had a fist fight with one of the senior housing residents and stole a teddy bear from another. She put a can of soda in the microwave and it caught fire and melted. She went for a walk, fell down and injured her shoulder so badly that surgeons had to install a new socket. “What will happen next?” became the question of the day.

3. Anticipatory grief anxiety. On a snowy, sub-zero night she called to tell me she was running away. Her plan was to return to Long Island and stay with friends. Unfortunately, all of her friends had died. So I called her doctor and he transferred her to nursing care. She lived there for several years and the day I dreaded finally came. My mother didn’t recognize family members or me. Each morning I wondered if this would be the day she died.

4. Personal anxiety. I was so immersed in caregivng that I didn’t take good care of myself. Physically run down, I was susceptible to colds, flu, and strep throat. During nine years of caregiving I gained 25 pounds. The weight gain was embarrassing and I wondered if I would be able to shed the extra pounds.

If you have several signs of stress, act on your behalf now. Don’t risk burn out. According to a WebMD article, “Heart Disease: Recognizing Caregiver Burnout,” caregivers who have burn out “may experience fatigue, stress, anxiety and depression.” Other signs of burnout include a lack of interest in activities, weight gain/loss, getting sick often, physical and emotional exhaustion.

To care for others you must care for yourself. Whether it is reading, listening to music, or going for a walk, try to do something for yourself each day. Difficult as it can be, caregiving is an expression of love, and you can give yourself credit for that.

Copyright 2009 by Harriet Hodgson

Feeling Sporty?  Popular Sports and Activities Among Seniors

By Senior Daily Living

If you feel like you need to get out more, you’re not alone.  Senior citizens and non-seniors alike are in need of consistent physical exercise.  Sporty activities are an enjoyable way to get your body moving, but not all forms are best for senior citizens.  Seek out those sports that you enjoy and that exert your body to a comfortable degree.  Here are some of the top ranked sports for the active senior:

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Here is a great article from the New York Times.  If you are in need of assistance for an aging senior in Tacoma WA, visit us at www.heartwarmingcare.com.

About 30 percent of adult children in the United States contribute financially to their parents’ care, according to the Pew Research Center. On average these children pay $2,400 a year on everything from uncovered medical expenses to making sure the refrigerator is stocked each week. The money often goes to parents who diligently saved all their lives, but in the face of longer life spans and chronic illness, the savings just isn’t enough.

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Global Alzheimer’s cases expected to rise sharply

“The number of people with Alzheimer’s disease isn’t creeping up, it’s briskly rising, according to a new report.”

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Here is a great article that I found by Senior Daily Living.  Visit us at www.heartwarmingcare.com if you need help for an aging senior in the area.

“As we age, we naturally have difficulty remembering things or finding the right words to say. This is normal. However, Dementia is not normal. The condition causes mental changes that make it difficult to function and carry out our normal lives, not just remember names and dates.”

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Helping Elderly Leave Nursing Homes for a Home

Walter Brown never wanted to live in a nursing home, but when he had a stroke two years ago, he saw little choice. Mr. Brown, 72, could not walk, use his left arm or transfer himself into his wheelchair.

Continue reading this wonderful story HERE.

Study Suggests Hairstylists Can Help Identify Senior Citizens in Need of Health Services

‘Hair stylists are in a great position to notice when their older clients are starting to suffer from depression, dementia, or self-neglect’

By Jeff Grabmeier

Hairstylists may have a unique opportunity to help steer their elderly clients to needed health services, according to a small, exploratory study.

Continue reading HERE.