When I had to suddenly give up my life to go take care of my elderly parents, both with health problems and starting to develop dementia, I was so surprised to read that caregivers are often more depressed than those they care for, and that those with a chronic illness themselves have a 63% higher death rate than their peers. A year later, without a day off–I was equally surprised that the statistic was that low!
Researchers have found that a person who cares for someone with dementia is twice as likely to suffer from depression than those providing care for someone without it. Since nearly five million people in the United States are afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease (just one form of many types of dementia), and 7 out of 10 are being cared for at home by their family and friends who provide 75-80% of their care, millions of caregivers are already coping with depression–or are at great risk of developing it.
CAUSE OF DEPRESSION
Depression often occurs when a caregiver becomes overwhelmed trying to manage the numerous responsibilities of caring for an ailing family member or friend, as well as their own busy life. The resulting feelings of exhaustion, sadness, isolation, loss, anxiety and anger, and then the guilt that comes for having those feelings–can exact a heavy toll.
Oftentimes caregivers are so inundated with responsibilities they sacrifice time with their healthy loved ones, their own careers, and even their own physical and emotional needs. Many even don’t take time for their own medical checkups and tests, resulting in their ailments going undiagnosed and treated. Therefore, it’s critical for caregivers to recognize immediately that they are at great risk of developing depression and/or a serious ailment, and that they need to seek support as soon as their caregiving journey begins.
RELUCTANCE TO SEEK TREATMENT
Unfortunately, family members often don’t even think of themselves as caregivers and feel that if they just toughen-up everything will be okay. And even though the stigma of seeing a doctor for depression is lessening, many feel it is a sign of weakness and that they will eventually just snap out of it on their own. Sadly, a National Mental Health Association study found that 41% of the women surveyed cited embarrassment or shame as the reasons they avoided seeking treatment.
SUPPORT GROUP A MUST
Caregivers who regularly attend a support group often report that they experience lower levels of depression and negative feelings, yet many don’t go in the beginning–saying they don’t want to share their personal life with strangers. Once they do, however, creative solutions and coping strategies start to present themselves during brainstorming sessions with support group leaders and other caregivers who are going through similar experiences. Often caregivers say they wish they had gone to a support group much sooner.
ADULT DAY CARE
Often elderly people will sleep most of the day and then become sun-downers being up all night–which causes even more stress for their exhausted caregiver. Enrolling loved ones in Adult Day Care is often the answer, as it provides stimulation during the day for the patient and specific hours of respite for the caregiver to take care of other things. After a day of singing, bingo, exercise and crafts, lead by professionals trained to work with them, the patient is tired and ready to go home and relax. Once they sleep regularly through the night, their caregiver will finally be able to sleep as well.
AWARENESS OF EARLY SYMPTOMS
By being aware of the great risk of depression and giving attention to the earliest symptoms, caregivers may be able to lessen the severity and duration of an episode. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, a caregiver support group, positive self-talk, focusing on the present rather than the decline of a loved one, and by seeing a mental health professional when necessary and considering the use of an anti-depressant medication-depression may be greatly reduced or even avoided.
SIGNS OF DEPRESSION
- Feeling tired most of the time, lethargic, uninspired, withdrawn, down, apathetic
- A change in eating habits resulting in unwanted weight gain or loss
- A change in sleep patterns-too much or not enough
- A loss of interest in people, things, and activities that used to be pleasurable
- Becoming easily agitated, irritated, anxious, angered, frustrated, overwhelmed
- Feeling that nothing they do is good enough or right
- Persistent what’s the use thinking and giving up easily
- Thoughts of suicide or death
- Ongoing physical symptoms that don’t seem to respond to treatment–such as headaches, digestive disorders and chronic pain
WARNING SIGNS OF ALZHEIMER’S
- Memory loss
- Difficulty performing familiar tasks
- Problems with language
- Disorientation to time and place
- Poor or decreased judgment
- Problems with abstract thinking
- Misplacing things
- Changes in mood or behavior
- Changes in personality
- Loss of initiative
About the Author:
Jacqueline Marcell is a national speaker and author of the best-selling book, Elder Rage, a Book-of-the-Month Club selection She also hosts an Internet radio program: www.wsradio.com/CopingwithCaregiving and writes Blogs on http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/ and http://blog.thirdage.com/?author=12. Also a breast cancer survivor, Jacqueline advocates that everyone, especially caregivers, closely monitor their own health. www.elderrage.com
© Copyright 2006 For permission to reprint all/part of this article, or to interview the author, Jacqueline Marcell in Irvine, CA: 949-975-1012, j.marcell@cox.net
