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Family Caregivers Working More for Less - Statistics tell the story of family caregivers who are sacrificing much to ensure that their older loved ones are well cared for.
Family Caregivers Working More for Less
I am a full-time caregiver to my 85-year-old parents and the recession has hit me hard. I have to work another part-time job just to make ends meet. Am I alone?
You're far from alone. According to the 2009 "Survey of the Economic Downturn and Its Impact on Family Caregiving" from Evercare and the National Alliance for Caregiving, the economic downturn has had widespread effects on family caregivers.
Forty-three percent of those caregivers surveyed have taken pay cuts or worked fewer hours due to the state of the economy; and nearly half of these survey participants have used up most or all of their savings covering increases in caregiving-related expenses.
Fifty percent of working caregivers said they were less comfortable taking time off from work to provide care. And one in six (15 percent) says that the downturn has caused them to lose their job or be laid off. Six of 10 caregivers who reported increasing their caregiving spending also reported having difficulty paying for their own basic necessities. Sixty-three percent are saving less for retirement.
Forty-three percent are borrowing money or increasing their credit card debt as a result of the economic downturn. Those caregivers providing more intense personal care seem to be at greater financial risk. Half of the caregivers reported the economic downturn has increased their stress about being able to continue caring for their loved one.
Here is some good news, however. Seventy-six percent of caregivers in Rhode Island indicate that the quality of care their loved one receives has not decreased.
Statistics tell the story of family caregivers who are sacrificing much to ensure that their older loved ones are well cared for. But stress and fatigue can take a terrible toll on the family caregiver. That's why you need to take care of yourself first. Try to enlist the help of other family members.
Also consider professional respite care. Home Instead Senior Care, for instance, provides flexible care for just a few hours a week. Having that additional support could make all the difference to your health and well-being, and allow you to work more.
Home Instead Senior Care, for instance, hires CAREGivers to assist senior with various non-medical home care and companionship tasks such as medication reminders. The companionship of a CAREGiver and help with meal preparation and light housekeeping also may keep seniors healthier longer.
This article is donated by Gary Leiter of Home Instead Senior Care of Rhode Island.
