This chapter addresses living arrangements and caregiver to
the elder population. It specifically addresses informal care giving
which is often performed by relatives. According to the text, "at
least 20 percent of all institutionalized elders are in need of help"
(Hillier & Barrow 2011). It states the percentage more than doubles
when seniors reach age 85 and older. Most of the responsibility for
caring for elderly relatives falls on the shoulders of adult children, mainly
consisting of women. Statistics reveal
20 percent of aging people who need home care receive it from adult daughters;
25 percent from wives; and 20 percent from more female relatives such as
sisters or sister in law or female non relatives. The text also states the greatest strain
seems to be upon “women in the middle”:
middle-aged women who have children and jobs and are also responsible for
the home care of parents (Hillier & Barrow, 2011). Another area addressed on care giving covered
in this chapter was solving care giving problems. The added responsibilities of caring for an
elder relative, who may also have health issues, may lead way to experiencing feelings
of anguish, frustration, inadequacy, guilt and devotion. This in turn could create stress in the care
giver life. Ways to management this stress
can be found by the care giver by participating in individual or family
counseling, join support groups, or recruit the services of respite care. Taking these steps can alleviate the
pressures involve with care giving and make this responsibility not feel so
much as a burden on the individual.
Hillier, S. &
Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. 3-28. 9th ed.
California: WADSWORTH
Eva,
ReplyDeleteWhere are the men caregivers? Women take on the role of caregiver so easily because it is second nature to them to want to nurture and care for others. For those who do not have one of these ladies taking care of them, many of them are on their own, or caring for each other, if a spouse is still living. Being the "women in the middle" or part of the "sandwich generation" is hard when you still have children at home to raise and parents who are becoming frail and need to be cared for. This just adds to the burden and stress women are already under just trying to take care of home. It is good that the caregivers have an avenue or outlet to relieve their stress. Respite care is a very good idea and service to have available so the caregiver can get some much needed rest from the stresses of their everyday lives of taking care of people. This way they do not get burned out.
I know in my family, there are going to be only women caregivers because my grandparents had 3 daughters, and then my mother had 2 daughters. There are overall more women than men, and women live longer on the average. I agree that there should be more sons and husbands stepping into the role of caregiver but I'm just putting out some possible reasons. I know I would not want anyone else taking care or supervising the care of my parents except for me but it does hold a lot of stress. Joining in the activities that you mentioned would be a great idea. Even within that counseling, as a woman, you could bring up how you would like to share the burden with a familiar male. It is not going to help anyone if the main caregiver cannot self-care. It's only going to put more stress on the elderly person who is being cared for.
ReplyDelete