Self-Assessment Tool Helps Polk County Families Avoid the Dangers of Caregiver Distress

Nearly one-third of adults living in Polk County are family caregivers who could be at risk for heart disease, diabetes, depression and various other physical and emotional maladies as a result of caregiver distress, a potentially dangerous condition brought on by the pressures of caring for a senior loved one. Studies increasingly point to caregiving as a leading stressor for families. In fact, one U.S. study revealed that more than half (52.8%) of those caring for individuals with diseases including cancer or Alzheimer’s had scores indicating depression.* In response to this growing issue, the local Home Instead Senior Care® office has launched a public awareness campaign – Family Caregiver Stress Relief at FamilyCaregiverStressRelief.com – to help family caregivers determine if they are at risk for distress and to minimize problems before they escalate. Included in the program are two new tools: The Are You a Caregiver Quiz, which is designed to help a family caregiver self-identify and recognize the role of a caregiver, and the Family Caregiver Distress Assessment, adapted for the Home Instead Senior Care network by Dr. Peter Vitaliano of the University of Washington. The assessment allows caregivers to determine their risk for distress and resulting emotional and physical issues, including depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. “So many spouses and adult children are unaware of their potential risk of caregiver distress because they don’t see themselves as caregivers,” said Anne Peters, president of the local Home Instead Senior Care office. “These new resources enable them to understand their role, the stresses they may face as a caregiver, and how that stress might lead to more serious health effects.” Des Moines resident Terry Howard cared for her mother and knows firsthand how the stress of caregiving can have negative health effects. “I gained a lot of weight when caring for my mother and trying to work a full-time job and just in the last year was diagnosed with diabetes. It was very difficult because I had twin brothers that were disabled at the same time as my mother and trying to visit them while caring for my mother took its toll on me.” A recent Home Instead Senior Care study discovered that caregivers are prone to hiding their emotions and, as a result, their health suffers. Approximately 74 percent of caregivers who hide their feelings report fatigue, 53 percent report difficulty sleeping, 37 percent report depression, and 30 percent weight gain or loss. Research shows that certain characteristics make family caregivers more vulnerable to caregiver distress, the top being: • Gender: Women report more psychological distress than men (however, male caregivers have more negative physiological responses to caregiving, including higher blood sugar and insulin levels, poorer cholesterol and immune function, and obesity). • Reluctance to ask for help: Caregivers who won’t ask for help are setting themselves up for the kind of exhaustion that can lead to distress. • Chronic Illness: Caregivers who are already sick or have existing medical conditions, such as coronary disease, hypertension and cancer, are more vulnerable to additional negative health effects resulting from caregiver stress. “It’s important for caregivers to understand that stress can impact one’s ability to care. If they don’t care for themselves, they may put their senior loved ones at risk. Whether it’s support groups, stress management techniques or respite help, caregivers need to realize the importance of managing their health, too,” said Peters. For more information about the services of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Polk County call 515-221-0866 or visit www.homeinsteadcom/desmoines-ia. Editor’s Note: Interviews with Terry Howard and/or Anne Peters can be arranged by calling 888-296-2411 ext. 7920. Sources: * Papastavrou, E., Charalambous, A., Tsangari, H., & Karayiannis, G. (2012). The burdensome and depressive experience of caring: What cancer, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease caregivers have in common; online at http://ktisis.cut.ac.cy/handle/10488/6053