The next time you feel like you’ve endured a long day at work, think about the following description of a “typical day” for Joanne, one of the millions of Americans, known as “The Sandwich Generation,” who are caring for an elderly parent or loved one, while also caring for their own children and family:
Joanne works in the accounting department for a commercial real estate developer. Once her workday is done, she races home to feed her family. On her way out the door to take her son to his soccer game, she throws in a load of laundry. Then she heads over to her mother’s house. Several months ago, Joanne started to notice that her mother wasn’t eating properly and that most of the food in the refrigerator was spoiled. So now, she spends three or four nights a week at her mother’s house cooking nutritious meals, filling her pillbox, and making sure her mother is bathing properly. Some days her mother looks at her like she is a stranger. Joanne has been juggling her roles as mother, wife, employee, daughter, and now family caregiver for several months, and the stress is becoming harder and harder to handle.
There is a good chance that you know someone like Joanne who is currently caring for an aging loved one. What you may not know is that recent medical research has found that the stress associated with caregiving can lead to a weakened immune system, and, in some cases, even premature death for the caregiver.
Specifically, family caregivers who provide care 36 or more hours weekly are more likely than non-caregivers to experience symptoms of depression or anxiety. For spouses the rate is six times higher; for those caring for a parent the rate is twice as high. What’s the moral of the story? Take care of you!
Myles McNamara is a certified senior advisor and owner of Comfort Keepers In-home Care, providing assistance to seniors in the comfort of their own home. He can be reached at 661-287-4200. You can also find more information on www.comfortkeepers.com .