Caregiving is a stressful job in most situations. A recent study, published in the journal Stroke, showed that husbands caring for ailing wives were at the highest risk of having a stroke. Approximately 767 people who provided in-home care for ailing spouses were part of the study. Those caregivers who said that aiding their ill spouse caused “a lot of strain” were 23% more likely to have a stroke when compared to others who said they felt no strain. The stroke risk was most pronounced among men.
Stress can manifest itself in many ways in our bodies from headaches and ulcers, to muscle pain and nausea. Previous studies have shown that caregiver stress can increase the risk of depression and even early death. Many have questioned exactly how caregiving related stress affects stroke and heart disease risk, as it is not yet fully understood.
Stress caregivers experience includes many difficult and uncontrollable elements such as financial strain, social isolation, witnessing the suffering of a loved one, managing challenging behaviors, and providing demanding physical and psychological tasks. Caregiving can also interfere with healthy behaviors such as getting regular exercise and sleep.
There is hope. Dr. Willam E. Haley, head of the study, says, “One important kind of assistance is counseling, where the caregiver can learn new information and skills to help them be better prepared to manage their family member’s illness and their own stress. Another kind of assistance is receiving more help in providing care from other family members, friends, or community agencies, or using respite care services.”
In this study, the public is reminded that caregivers are an often an overlooked segment of the population. To improve the health and wellbeing of this caregivers Dr. Haley recommends support groups and adds, “Overall, research shows that caregivers benefit from programs that help them learn ways to feel better prepared to take care of their relative, to manage their own stress, and to get more day to day help in providing care.”
For more information about how you can get help through support groups, respite care or just to gather helpful tips and information about caregiving visit www.silveradosenior.com or call your local Silverado Community, At Home or Hospice Office.
