November is a time to honor the family caregivers in your mom’s life. Alzheimer’s is a challenging task to take on. If you’re not the one with your mom 24/7, it’s hard to realize just how hard it is. If you are the primary family caregiver, it’s time to look at the facts that affect you. Here are a few things to remember about how difficult caregiving is, and how Alzheimer’s care at home can support your efforts.
The Average Age of an Unpaid Caregiver is 50
Unpaid caregivers are the family and friends who take care of an older adult. Almost three out of five of these unpaid caregivers are caring for an aging parent. The average age of a family caregiver is 50, so it’s likely you’re still employed and have teens or adult children at home.
Women Are More Likely to Be a Family Caregiver
Sixty-three percent of family caregivers are female. While more men are starting to help their parents, women still outnumber them. Thirty percent of these family caregivers are caring for a parent with dementia.
The Average Duration of Care Is Four Years
If you look at how long family caregivers help their parents, it’s a lot longer than you might expect. Three out of ten caregivers provided care for five or more years. The average duration is just under four years. With long-term diseases like Alzheimer’s, one may be helping out for 10+ years.
More Than Half of Caregivers Don’t Believe They Had a Choice
If you ask family caregivers if they feel they had a choice in becoming a family caregiver, 53% report not having a choice.
Most Caregivers Help Out At Least Once a Week
Three out of four family caregivers provide care to their parents at least once a week. Just over half have to help out multiple times per week. The average amount of care tops 22 hours per week.
Almost Half of All Primary Caregivers Have No Help
Sole caregivers account for 45% of all unpaid caregivers. About 30% of caregivers have help from other family members.
One in Five Caregivers Don’t Believe Their Health Is Good
Twenty percent of family caregivers cannot rate their health as better than fair. About 2% rate their health as poor. Often, those with the lowest self-rated health scores provide more than 21 hours of care each week and don’t have others helping out.
Almost Two Out of Five Feel Caregiving Is Emotionally Stressful
The emotional stress of family caregiving is higher than you might think. Two out of five caregivers report feeling high emotional stress. About 21% report feeling alone.
One Out of Five Feel Financially Strained
About 16% of family caregivers feel the financial strain. Often, this is tied to having to quit jobs or reduce the number of hours of work. Some also find themselves helping cover their parent’s prescription or grocery costs, which adds to the strain.
When you’re caring for your mom with Alzheimer’s, you also have to take care of yourself. Her care needs will increase and start to become too much for you. This is when you need to rely most on Alzheimer’s care at home.
Your mom can have Alzheimer’s care aides helping her with personal care and companion care services. Use Alzheimer’s care to ensure you have time to yourself as much as possible.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Alzheimer’s care in Avondale, AZ, please contact the caring staff at Blessings for Seniors Companion Care at (623) 594-0819.
Blessings for Seniors makes it possible for older adults to enjoy the comforts of their own home for as long as possible. We offer a customized care plan that includes services such as; Hourly Senior Home Care, 24-Hour Home Care, Dementia Care, Personal Care and Companion Care. Also ask us about our Veterans’ Home Care program.
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