Top 10 Issues Facing Todays Caregivers

For most people, money is an uncomfortable subject. But when a parent is involved it becomes all together untouchable. Yet caregiving is time consuming, and adult children are often forced to leave their old lives and jobs behind in order to properly care for their parents. Financial strain inevitably follows. When this is the case, caregivers often seek compensation for the long hours they spend providing care for their parents.

Finding services and benefits for the elderly can be a struggle for new caregivers. There are thousands of options to choose from, but accessing them can be a struggle. When one is catapulted into a caregiving position it becomes necessary to learn how to navigate through the heaps of information out there.

A parent/child relationship is pretty straight forward. The parents give and the children receive. At some point, however, that standard relationship can take an unexpected turn. Adult children of elderly parents often find that at a certain point in the aging process a dramatic role reversal occurs. Diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's create disturbing behavior that often causes tension within the relationship.

There are countless tasks to attend to when caring for another person, and at the end of the day there is rarely time for other relationships. Caregivers often find that their relationships suffer because they cannot find time to tend to them.

Most jobs offer their employees some downtime in the form of lunch breaks, vacations and sick days. These are not afforded for caregivers who rarely, if ever, take a day for themselves. In fact, many caregivers find themselves working 40 hours a week or more in addition to their full-time jobs.

For many, a house is a symbol of a successful transition into adulthood. It is their place to start a life for themselves, which often includes a family of their own. When an elderly parent moves in, it changes the whole dynamic of a living situation. Having a live-in elderly parent is a big undertaking for any caregiver.

Losing ones ability to drive can be a humiliating situation for both parent and child. Seniors often view their cars as their last avenue to freedom. Many times caregivers find it difficult to find the right way to tell their parents that its time to give up the old car keys.

Resentment is common among families where multiple members are capable of providing some sort of support, but some members do less than their share. These situations can make the relationship between the caregiver and the rest of his/her family tense.

Between bathing, dressing, feeding and all the other odds and ends that go along with taking care of an elderly adult, caregivers often feel overwhelmed. The urge to quit is common, as well as the feelings of guilt that inevitably follow if you pass some aspects of the care off to others.