The stress of family caregiving

On the heels of a very successful Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk in the Brainerd lakes area I want to talk about one of the most stressful jobs around today.

It isn't found in corporate America. Rather, it's a job that one in every four Americans wakes up to each morning.

Can you guess what it is? It comes with the title family caregiver.

Family caregivers are often the forgotten victims of Alzheimer's disease and other memory disorder illnesses. In most cases, the family caregiver is a spouse, the eldest daughter or the grown child who lives the closest to the parent(s) or other family member needing care. They toil each day caring for loved ones who are no longer able to care for themselves. For them, stress is a constant.

Family caregiving can become stressful if the caregiver has other important and pressing responsibilities, including a job, children to care for, a busy social life, some distance to travel to care for an elderly relative and so on. In fact, caregiving can be particularly hard for a spouse, especially when the care recipient requires around-the-clock assistance. It can even become dangerous if the spousal caregiver has his/her own health issues to deal with, since these health problems are often exacerbated by the stress and lack of attention to their own needs.

Signs of caregiver stress can be both physical and emotional and include disturbed sleep, headaches, weight fluctuation, fatigue, anxiety and mood swings. Most family caregivers agree that there are many rewards associated with this job, so they don't want to give up caregiving. Rather, they just need some additional support which can make all the difference for them; and for the people to whom they're providing care.

Just as we are blessed in the Brainerd lakes area to have more than 500 walkers show up for the first Memory Walk, we are also blessed with a wide array of services to support seniors and their caregivers. If you haven't already done so, please get a copy of the Crow Wing County Senior Health Care and Care Giving Resource Directory. You can get a copy at the Lakes Area Senior Activity Center or ask any of the local senior care providers.

In addition to asking for help, there also are many things that family caregivers can do to take care of themselves.

Here are some tips:

Work out: Exercise and enjoy something you like such as walking, dancing, biking, running, or swimming for a minimum of 20 minutes, three or more times per week.

Meditate: Sit still and breathe deeply with your mind as quiet as possible whenever you are feeling overwhelmed by your responsibilities as a caregiver.

Take a break: Make arrangements for any necessary fill in help from family, friends, volunteers or professional caregivers.

Eat well: Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, including nuts and beans and whole grains.

Attend to your own medical needs: Just like you make sure your loved one gets to the doctor regularly, make sure you get your annual check-up.

Indulge: Treat yourself to a foot massage, manicure, nice dinner out or a concert to take yourself away from the situation and to reward yourself for the wonderful care you are providing to your aging relative.

Support: Find a local caregiver support group, which will help you understand that what you are experiencing is normal for someone in your position.

Please take some time to check out the information on the Web site www.caregiverstress.com, get a copy of the resource directory and ask for help. Find ways to cope with caregiver stress, in order to make your family caregiving role more rewarding. A caregiver who takes care of herself or himself - body and mind - will ultimately be a better caregiver to a loved one.

DEB CRANNY is the executive director at Home Instead Senior Care in Brainerd.