Evercare study finds stress, depression, fatigue propel Caregivers
into downward health spiral…First comprehensive look at
health impact of caring for loved ones finds pervasive worrying and
sleep deprivation lead Caregivers to neglect their own health,
potentially jeopardizing two people…21% of households contain at
least one Caregiver…Problems anticipated to increase as Boomers age
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/
-- According to the Evercare(R) Study of Caregivers in Decline: A
Close-up Look at the Health Risks of Caring for a Loved One,
released today, the stress and worry of caregiving lead millions of
caregivers to neglect their own physical and mental health,
resulting in depression, extreme fatigue, poor eating and exercise
habits and greater use of medications. More than half (53 percent)
surveyed said this downward health spiral also negatively affects
their ability to provide care.
The study was released today by
Evercare, a leading provider of health plans for people who have
chronic or advanced illness, are older or have disabilities, and the
National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), the nation's leading
research authority on caregiving.
There are more than 44 million
caregivers in the U.S., with 21% of households containing at least
one caregiver(i), and as the "Baby Boomers" turn 65, that number is
expected to surge. When a previous study conducted in 2004i revealed
2.5 million caregivers in fair or poor health, Evercare and NAC
recognized the importance of specifically taking a comprehensive
look at the impact of caregiving on those caregivers' own health and
wellness, and this is the first national study to do so.
Extreme stress leads to alarming
health symptoms and behavior
An alarming nine in 10 (91
percent) caregivers surveyed -- all in fair/poor health and having
seen a decline in their health as a result of caregiving -- suffer
from depression, and eight in 10 (81 percent) of those with
depression reported that caregiving has made their depression worse.
Respondents cited stress as the most pervasive health problem in
their lives, stemming from worry about their loved one's condition
as well as being overwhelmed with caregiving responsibilities. In
focus groups, caregivers recount how the stress emerges in various
physical ailments, including increased blood pressure, heart attack
scares, arthritis flare-ups, acid reflux, headaches and other
symptoms.
Ninety percent say they worry more
or feel more stress now than they did prior to becoming caregivers,
and respondents cited lack of energy/sleep (87 percent), pain/aching
(60 percent), and weight gain or loss (38 percent). As a result of
this stress, 10 percent of respondents reported increased misuse of
prescription drugs or alcohol and more than half (51 percent) report
taking more medications. Moreover, 82 percent say that their
sleeping habits are worse than before, while 63 percent say their
eating habits and 58 percent say their exercising habits are worse
than before.
Caregivers sacrifice their own
health maintenance in favor of their caregiving duties
The Evercare Study also found
that, among caregivers surveyed, caregiving often replaces their own
health maintenance. Despite being in fair or poor health and
worsening health since becoming caregivers, nearly three in four (72
percent) admit they have not gone to the doctor as often as they
should, and more than half (55 percent) have missed doctors'
appointments. One in five women report having mammograms less often
(21 percent) and a similar proportion of men are not as up to date
with their prostate exams as they once were (23 percent). Also, 33
percent say they get their teeth cleaned less often, 29 percent
neglect periodic vision tests, and 26 percent skip periodic physical
exams.
"Caregiving has to include caring
for yourself. The fact that caregivers sacrifice their own
well-being while caring for a loved one underscores the need for
greater awareness around the issue and for programs that support
their health needs," said Dr. John Mach, CEO of Evercare. "There are
broad implications to caregivers' health decline in terms of their
ability to function, provide care to their loved one and perform
well at work for the 25 percent of the U.S. workforce that struggles
to balance caregiving with their job."
"The study's findings not only
provide a portrait of caregivers' health risks, but also point
toward areas for specific preventative intervention," said Gail
Hunt, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving.
"Caregivers play a vital and often overlooked role caring for our
nation's aging population and we hope this study spurs increased
focus by the government and private and non-profit sectors on
caregiver health as a public health issue."
The most common reasons given for
not going to the doctor as often as necessary are putting their
family's needs (67 percent) or care recipient's needs (57 percent)
ahead of their own. Fifty-one percent say they don't have time to
take care of themselves with their other responsibilities, and
nearly half (49 percent) are too tired.
Among the other key findings of
the study:
Caregivers Feel Alone, Often
Don't Ask for Help
Although they often have family
members or friends who could help them, they sometimes shoulder more
responsibility than they have to because they don't ask for help.
Support from family and friends has the potential to relieve their
burden, but caregivers must overcome the barrier of asking for help.
Among those surveyed:
* The large majority (75
percent) feel they had no choice in taking on their caregiving
responsibility.
* Nearly seven in ten (69
percent) spend less time with family and friends.
* Half of those surveyed (51
percent) would like to talk to someone who could help them identify tasks
that other family members or friends could be doing, and teach them
how to gain that cooperation.
Respondents think an outside
consultant could help them approach their
families in a different way,
or teach them to delegate and prioritize their tasks better.
Caregiving Is a Full-Time Job --
Respondents Spend Average of 41 Hours Doing It
* Thirty-seven percent spend
more than 40 hours a week providing care, and 30 percent spend 20-39 hours
per week doing so.
* More than one-third of those
surveyed (37 percent) report spending less time at their jobs.
* Those who work full-time are
more apt than others to say their eating habits are worse than before
(73 percent vs. 53 percent for part-timers and 62 percent for those
retired or not employed).
More hours spent caregiving
equated with greater decline
Previous studies have shown that
caregivers spend on average 4.5 years caregiving, with the needs
escalating over time, thus impacting caregiver health significantly
over that period.(i) The Evercare study revealed that the more time
caregivers spend caring for a loved one, the greater their health
decline. This is even more true for those caregivers providing a
higher level intensity of caregiving such as giving medications or
injections, bathing, feeding, dressing or other activities of daily
living. Caregivers who reported their health got a lot worse as
result of caregiving (15%) spend an average of 58 hours a week
caregiving and those with a moderate deterioration in health (44
percent) spend an average of 42 hours a week caregiving.
Caregivers Describe Support
Services They'd Prefer Most
Surprisingly, although 82 percent
of respondents report that their doctor or their care recipient's
doctors are aware of their caregiving role, only half of these
caregivers (56 percent) report that doctors have suggested ways they
can take better care of their own health.
The caregivers surveyed are
receptive to support services that could help them save time, reduce
stress, manage their own health more effectively or provide them
with caregiving expertise. The majority of respondents say they
would be likely (63 percent very/somewhat likely) to call an expert
about the stress they feel and other caregiving issues. More than
six in ten (63 percent) say they would also use services provided by
a mobile health van, and they explain that such a service might make
them more likely to take care of their own routine health care.
Similarly, half of respondents (50 percent) would like to be able to
call a nurse to stay with their loved one while they go to the
doctor themselves.
The Evercare Study also found that
the existence of caregiver support services is not sufficient to
ensure that they are used. Caregivers need to be made aware of
support services through concerted communications efforts, and may
also need encouragement to try whatever services are offered.
About the Study/Methodology
In a 2004 survey(i), 17 percent of
caregivers reported their health as fair to poor, compared to just 9
percent of the general population who report the same. Among those
caregivers in fair to poor health, 35 percent -- or more than 2.5
million -- reported their health had worsened due specifically to
caregiving. In this new study, Evercare and the National Alliance
for Caregiving sought to take a closer look at this population of
caregivers whose own health is at risk due to their caregiving
responsibilities in order to understand why and how caregiving
negatively impacts their health. The study was designed to be a
valuable tool for understanding this issue, and was conducted among
caregivers who were in fair to poor health, and who said that their
health worsened as a result of caregiving, through online (528
caregivers) and as well as 12 in-depth telephone questionnaires and
four focus groups. Mathew Greenwald & Associates, Inc. conducted the
study.
About Evercare
Evercare coordinates health care
and well-being services for people who have long-term or advanced
illnesses, are older or have disabilities. Started in 1987, Evercare
today serves more than 100,000 people nationwide through a variety
of Medicaid, Medicare, and private-pay health plans, programs and
services in the home, the community and skilled nursing facilities.
The Evercare(TM) Solutions for Caregivers program provides
caregiving support, assistance and services for approximately
400,000 caregivers and their families delivered primarily through
employer work-life programs. Evercare is part of Ovations, a
division of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH)
dedicated to the health care needs of Americans over age 50. For
more information about Evercare, call 1-866-772-0859 (TTY
1-888-685-8480) or visit
http://www.evercarehealthplans.com/.
About National Alliance for
Caregiving
Established in 1996, the National
Alliance for Caregiving is a nonprofit coalition of more than 40
national organizations that focuses on issues of family caregiving
across the life span. The Alliance was created to conduct research,
do policy analysis, develop national programs and increase public
awareness of family caregiving issues. Recognizing that family
caregivers make important societal and financial contributions
toward maintaining the well being of those for whom they care, the
Alliance's mission is to be the objective national resource on
family caregiving with the goal of improving the quality of life for
families and care recipients.