Are you caring for someone with Chronic Illness or Disability? You need support too!
Caregiving Takes a Toll
- “…When the demands placed on caregivers exceed their resources, caregivers feel overwhelmed and report high stress. The stress has a negative effect initially on the caregiver’s psychological well-being, but as the stress continues it can negatively affect their physical well-being as well….”
- “…caregivers who have high distress also have changes in their immune system that can lead to flare-ups in auto-immune diseases, worsened glucose control in the body, and increased vulnerability to cardiovascular diseases…”
- “…These changes increase the likelihood that the caregiver’s own health will suffer and, subsequently, hinder their capacity to provide care…”
- “…Research increasingly shows that the health and well-being of caregivers may be the most critical non-medical factor in care-recipients’ state of mind and health. When a caregiver lacks effective coping styles or is severely depressed, for example, the patient is at higher risk of falling as well as suffering a sharper decline in his or her ability to carry out activities of daily living…”
Counseling Improves the Health of Caregivers
- A large and growing body of evidence reveals that providing care for a chronically sick person can have harmful physical, mental, and emotional consequences for the caregiver.
- Although caregiving can have a negative impact on caregivers’ health and well-being, research demonstrates its effects can be alleviated at least partially by caregiver education and support programs.***
Counseling Equips Caregivers to Support Others
- “…Caregivers convey that helping patients to cope with emotional distress (eg, anger, anxiety, depression, fear, and resentment) is one of their highest unmet needs following diagnosis…”
- “…Caregivers reported less confidence in helping patients with their emotional needs, than with their physical needs…”
- “…Partners often want to do the “right thing” but are unsure what that is…”
Counseling Improves the Caregiver’s Quality of Life
- “…There is evidence that interventions can reduce emotional distress in patients and their caregivers…”
- “Psychologists, with their deep appreciation of family dynamics, their understanding of the trauma of illness and their access to patients and caregivers in hospital, clinic, school, community, and therapeutic settings, really are the perfect professionals to deal with caregiving issues,”
- “…psychosocial…interventions had a number of positive outcomes for caregivers. They reduced caregivers’ burden, increased caregivers’ knowledge and perceived benefits of caregiving, enhanced caregivers’ coping resources and self-efficacy, and improved many aspects of the caregiver’s quality of life…”
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Additional Research
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/10/caregivers.aspx
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749208112000575
https://www.chron.com/business/press-releases/article/Families-Caring-for-Individuals-with-Crohn-s-13225934.php
