When you provide care for an elderly loved one, such a responsibility can be tough both mentally and physically. It is difficult to see a loved one struggle and possibly be in pain, but it can also be difficult to provide the care they need when you have your own life to take care of.
Assisting Hands Home Care can help family caregivers with our respite care services in Rolling Meadows, IL, and neighboring areas in Cook County IL. These services give family caregivers much-needed breaks and ensure that your loved one receives excellent care while the family caregiver takes time off. Our respite care services can also be covered by your loved one’s long term care insurance.
Informal Caregiving
Although noble, providing informal care for a loved one is a difficult task. Family caregivers spend their free time caring for a relative instead of relaxing and doing leisurely activities, essentially making it a second job. This is in addition to the emotional toll one feels when caring for a loved one who struggles with day-to-day living. Families may also feel guilty if they don’t help out elderly relatives themselves, but it is a stressful responsibility to take on.
In the United States, there are tens of millions of people who act as informal caregivers to a loved one. Women account for 2/3 of the caregivers, and 1/4 of all caregivers in the U.S. have reported that they have poor to fair health conditions. These numbers are a result of the following:
- Stress: With the amount of time informal caregivers dedicate to providing such care, they are basically working another job, but it’s one they’re connected to on an emotional level because family is involved.
- Restlessness and Lack of Sleep: Working so often and having an emotional connection to the work can easily cause one’s stress to lead to a restless mind in addition to a lack of sleep. The combination of such factors can easily burn someone out.
