Caring for a terminally ill loved one at home is a gift from the heart. As with all valuable gifts, there is a heavy price to pay. Taking care of a very ill person is physically tiring and emotionally very stressful.
By the time a person enters the terminal stage of an illness, the average family caregiver has already been caring for their family member for three years or more. That is a very long time. Other family members help to some extent, but typically the burden falls primarily on one person. These caregivers belong to a very large “club,” there are an estimated 34 million unpaid caregivers in the U.S. One household out of every five is or has been caring for an ill or disabled person.
Who are the Caregivers?
Typically, the caregiver is a woman in her 40s with some college education. She spends at least 20 hours a week caring for an elderly parent. Being a caregiver has a financial cost attached, with out-of-pocket costs of several thousand dollars during the year. One out of every three caregivers either has to quit their job or cut back on their hours.
The Impact on the Caregivers
Caregivers say that they put the needs of their families ahead of their own and simply don’t have the time or energy to go to the doctor themselves. They report that they are having trouble managing both their family and work responsibilities. Over half of these caregivers state that their own health has declined while they have been caregiving; they worry that they will be unable to handle all of their responsibilities.
How Do Caregivers Cope?
Caregivers rely greatly on their faith; over 70% claim that praying is their primary source of strength. Relying on a social network of friends and relatives for advice and support is almost as important. This is very understandable, because if these were not strong, caring people, they would not be caregivers.
When the caregiver needs help, Respite Services in Eastman GA can assist. One of the services offered by Hospice Care Options is Respite Services in Eastman GA. Their team of professionals will care for the patient in a nursing facility or hospital for up to five day. The primary caregiver will be able to take a much needed break, knowing that his or her loved one is being well cared for by Respite Services in Eastman GA.
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