ON HEALTH: Thank you, caregivers

During another busy day in the clinic, as I see an elderly patient in a wheelchair who is accompanied by family member or members, I am reminded at how lucky the patient is. It is estimated that 80 percent of the adults who require some level of care live at home. Unpaid family members provide 90 percent of that care. This means that the majority of the care of the elderly is falling on the shoulders of family members.

A caregiver is defined as a family member or friend who is providing unpaid assistance for another person who has a disabling condition. These caregivers provide a critical service to our health care system.

Caregiving has its benefits. There can be the satisfaction of providing the physical comfort and emotional support to a loved one. This can allow the caregiver to feel needed, useful and give meaning to their life. Caregivers can relieve the financial burden and stress related to the care of the elderly.

Caregiving can be very stressful. The problems are often persistent and the health of recipients are unpredictable and uncontrollable. One third of caregivers report high burden of care. Caregivers who provide more than 21 hours of care are more likely to feel the burden. Caring for a patient with dementia or difficult-to-control behaviors can be especially challenging. Most caregivers report spending less time with their family and having less time for sleep, exercise and eating healthy foods. Caregivers often have to miss work and work opportunities and this leads to financial losses.

Caregivers are an essential part of the healthcare team and there are things that can be done to support them. Understanding the disease process that is affecting the recipients can relieve stress with a better understanding of what to expect. The Alzheimer’s Association and other disease-specific organizations can be a source of education and support. By understanding what the patient is going through, the caregiver can set reasonable expectations.

Getting a break from caregiving can be a very useful tool to reduce the burnout. Respite can be planned or is sometimes needed urgently. It should be part of the self care of the caregiver. They sometimes need to be reminded that they need to be healthy physically and emotionally to provide the care they want to give.

I appreciate all the care I see being given to my patients. The decisions are collaborative with input from the caregiver, who knows more about the home situation and capabilities.

Caregiving requirements are only going to increase as our population ages, so our caregivers need the know how to handle their situations. The American Academy of Family Physicians has some general information on self care at http://familydoctor.org/caregiver-stress/.

Dr. Ken Ripp is a family medicine physician at the Raiter Clinic in Cloquet.