What really is caregiving? Sometimes we\u2019re not sure what it really is. It\u2019s such a simple concept, the idea of providing care to another person. But when we talk about specifically being a caregiver it\u2019s usually a set of tasks that one provides for someone who is disabled or elderly. There is a lot that goes into being a caregiver. There are financial, physical, and emotional commitments one often takes on for that other individual. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Caregiving?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Often, we associate being a caregiver as an adult child caring for their older parent. The stereotype is of the daughter caring for a mother or father. Usually by taking care of all of their needs, such as household chores, feeding, medication, etc. However, any person can be a caregiver to someone if they routinely take on an important function <\/a>of their daily lives that they are unable to do because of a medical condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you pop by your sister\u2019s home to do her laundry for her every week because she has a disability that keeps her from being able to go up and down the stairs, you are in a caregiving role for her. You may not be taking on everything she needs, but you are providing care for her daily needs<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Kind of Impacts Can Caregiving Have on the Caregiver?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are some obvious ways caregiving can impact people. For example, there is a significant time investment. Some caregivers may also invest financially in their loved ones. However, an aspect we don\u2019t talk about enough is the mental health impact. Often, caregivers are under a lot of stress<\/a>. There can also be physical impacts because of caregiving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More often than not, caregivers are not trained in the proper way to move individuals who may need help getting out of bed or into a chair. This can sometimes result in injuries to the caregiver over time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chronic stress can also impact someone\u2019s immune system, making it more likely that a caregiver can get sick more often. This can be compounded by frequent visits to doctor\u2019s offices or hospital waiting rooms, which often have more germs from other sick people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Other Mental Health Impacts Are There?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Anticipatory grief is a large component of the mental impact of caregiving. The psychological toll of watching a loved one become less independent and more ill can be very difficult to deal with<\/a>. There is also the loss of freedom the caregiver themselves often deals with. The time commitment that one sometimes has to make to caregiving can encroach on other aspects of a caregiver\u2019s life. Many caregivers are also in dual roles. For example, many women are caring for their adult parents while also having dependent children in their home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depression, anxiety, and burnout are common<\/a> with caregiving. It\u2019s important to reach out for help if you\u2019re feeling as if things are becoming too much. Sometimes talking with a therapist <\/a>can help someone cope with all of the difficult and complex feelings they may be experiencing as a result of being a caregiver. Our clinician, Bianca Burns<\/a>, is facilitating a virtual Caregiver Support Group. Referrals can be made here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What really is caregiving? Sometimes we\u2019re not sure what it really is. It\u2019s such a simple concept, the idea of providing care to another person. But when we talk about specifically being a caregiver it\u2019s usually a set of tasks that one provides for someone who is disabled or elderly. There is a lot that … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Caregiving and Mental Health”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[48,97,98,41,33,79],"class_list":["post-1929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mental-health","tag-anxiety","tag-burnout","tag-caregiving","tag-depression","tag-mental-health","tag-stress"],"yoast_head":"\n