CAREGIVING ISSUES
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Two of the most common types of caregiving are informal and formal:
- Informal caregiving involves providing assistance to someone as a partner, family member, friend, or neighbor that is usually unpaid
- Formal caregiving involves providing assistance to someone as a volunteer or paid worker who is a member of a caregiving agency/organization
At some point in your life, you are likely to find yourself caring for – or preparing to care for – a loved one. In fact, the majority of caregiving in America is provided by informal caregivers.
There are many variations of informal caregiving such as:
- A married couple living with, and caring for, a parent with dementia
- A grandmother serving as the primary caregiver for her grandchildren who live with her
- A husband caregiving for his veteran wife who has a deployment-related traumatic brain injury
- A single parent caring for a child with special needs
- A gay man caring for his husband who has cancer
- A woman who provides long-distance caregiving to an aging best friend
Caregiving can lead to many benefits for the caregiver such as feeling useful and needed, knowing that the care recipient is getting quality care, learning new skills, developing and/or deepening a connection with the care recipient, and fulfilling one’s sense of meaning and purpose in life. For many caregivers, these benefits (as well as a multitude of others) coexist with struggles.
While many caregivers cope successfully with caregiving struggles, others experience caregiver strain and are at risk of depression and anxiety, as well as, physical health problems.
Some common struggles include:
- Stress associated with meeting care needs
- Responding to family issues
- Concern over relationship with the care recipient
- Availability of formal and informal supports
- Disruptions to life areas such as work, education, and other relationships
- Planning for the future
To be a balanced and effective caregiver, it is important to care for yourself.
Counseling and therapy at Wellness Grove…
Our in-person (outpatient) counseling services are offered in Canton OH (near Akron, North Canton, and Massillon). We also offer telemental health sessions to all Ohio residents.
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