A New Risk for Caregivers

A new report from the Public Health Center of Excellence on Dementia Caregiving highlights a new finding about a risk that dementia caregivers may face. It states that about three in five family caregivers that work with a family member that has dementia also have a high risk of developing dementia themselves. 

 

This elevated risk of developing dementia comes mainly from lifestyle risks. When compared to the average individual, family members that cared for an older loved one with dementia were 30 percent more likely to be smokers, 27 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, 21 percent more likely to suffer from poor sleep, 12 percent more likely to have diabetes, and 8 percent more likely to be obese.

 

About one in four family caregivers have two or more risk factors that can heighten the risk of developing dementia. Unfortunately, family caregivers look like they have a much higher risk that the average individual does.

 

 

The team pointed out just how vulnerable family caregivers can be. These individuals are very busy and very stressed. Stress can add a lot of extra risk to our lives, and in some cases, can even exacerbate some of the dementia risk factors, such as high blood pressure, use of tobacco and alcohol, and other lifestyle pressures. Being a caregiver is incredibly tough; this study highlights the importance of having healthy coping skills and stress management techniques so that you can help your family and yourself to continue to live a high quality of life.

 

Making time for yourself is one way to approach this. Making sure that you are eating right, getting enough sleep, exercising, and doing things that you like on a regular basis might seem like an impossible task, but if you can prioritize these things, you will find that a lot of other aspects of life will fall into place, too.

 

This is one of the reasons why we believe that services like respite care are beneficial, even for the most skilled of family caregivers. A professional caregiver can help you to take a few hours or even a few weeks to take care of other aspects of your life. It will let you do what you need to do so that you can come back and focus on your family.

 

Being a caregiver for a family member is a tough job. As professional caregivers ourselves, we know this better than anybody. That’s why we recommend a team approach when it comes to caring for a loved one. If you’d like to learn more about how professional in-home care might be able to help you and your family, we’re here to talk. We offer free consultations designed to get the conversation started, answer your questions, and help get you connected to the right resources for your unique situation. 

 

Would you like to talk more about how your family might benefit from care? Let us know! One of our caregivers would be happy to talk more with you. Give us a call today to start.