Not for the Faint of Heart

No two caregiving stories are the same. Some are caring for spouses; others are caring for children. One person may be caring for their mom, while another is providing help to a family friend. Some people were suddenly thrust into their caregiving journey, while others saw it coming years in advance. Still, for all their differences, they are often much the same. While the caregiver’s duties vary depending on their relationship with the person they’re helping, and how much support that individual needs, the vast majority of caregivers offer in-home, non-medical assistance to a loved one or friend. Even with all the feelings of love between the caregiver and their loved one, caregiving isn’t an easy job — and it only gets harder if you are isolated and attempting to do it all on your own.

The vast majority of caregivers will tell you that their caregiving role takes a toll on their mind, emotions, and health; with more than 75 percent saying it negatively impacts their family lives. Nearly every caregiver has experienced anxiety or irritability stemming from their roles because it’s a very demanding job with many caregivers experiencing symptoms consistent with depression. Overwhelmed with their responsibilities, many caregivers will forget to take time for themselves, which leads to burnout. Unfortunately, caregiver burnout is hard to predict because no two caregiving roles are the same. By eliminating challenges and boosting independence for the care recipient, caregivers take on the struggles of the everyday routines for two people, theirs, and their loved ones. Not an easy feat. Let’s take a look at some of the duties and responsibilities that fall to the caregiver and you’ll see what I mean.

Caregiver tasks include:

assisting with personal care: bathing and grooming, dressing, toileting, and exercise;

basic food preparation: preparing meals, shopping, housekeeping, laundry, and other errands;

general health care: overseeing medication and prescriptions usage, appointment reminders and administering medicine;

mobility assistance: help with getting in and out of a wheelchair, car or shower;

personal supervision: providing constant companionship and general supervision;

transportation: driving to and from activities, running errands, and help getting in and out of wheelchair-accessible vehicle;

emotional support: being a stable companion and supporter in all matters personal, health-related and emotional;

care for the elderly: orienting or grounding someone with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, relaying information from a doctor to family members;

back-up care (or respite) services: providing other caregivers a break;

home organization: help with organizing, packing or cleaning for a trip, or general house care and cleaning;

and health monitoring: following a care plan and noticing any changes in the individual’s health, recording and reporting any differences.

As you see, caregiving is not for the faint of heart and requires multiple skills and skill levels from the individual caregiver. That is the reason we advocate so hard for caregivers to get connected to a community of social support. Whether you connect with us or with a support group in your hometown, please find your tribe. These are the people who will lift you when you are down, love you when you are struggling, and celebrate with you when you are at the top of your game. You can master this caregiving journey, just don’t try to do it alone.