In fact the average length of time spent on caregiving is about eight years, with approximately one third of respondents providing care for 10 years or more. (Source: MetLife Juggling Act Study, Balancing Caregiving with Work and the Costs of Caregiving, Met Life Mature Market Institute, November 1999.)
"Families have never done this with such complicated medical treatment and the kind of economic pressures this brings today," says Carol Leving, director of the United Hospital Fund's Families and Health Care project in New York City. "In the old days, people got better or they died."
Caregivers often times have higher health risks than those they care for. Severe depression, anxiety, substance abuse, severe anger and stress-related diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer and infectious diseases are highly common. Now, a new study shows the correlation of the death of the caregiver when the spouse dies.
This study examined the records of more than 1 million people (518,240 couples) who were on Medicare in 1993. Over the next nine years, more than two-thirds of them were hospitalized and more than one-third died. The results are detailed in the Feb. 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. http://content.nejm.org This study reported, among other facts, the death of a wife increases a husband's risk of death 53 percent for 30 days, and the death of a husband increases his wife's risk by 61 percent during that month.
Caregivers are bound to experience mental, physical and financial stress when thrown suddenly into a primary care role. It is no laughing matter. Perhaps it should be?
Stress cannot be eliminated. Let's face it, providing care for an older adult or someone chronically ill or with a disability is stressful. You can learn, however, to prevent the negative effects of stress from harming your physical body and emotional state of mind.
Therapeutic laughter provides the body with an enormous amount of healthy chemicals and hormones that literally 'de-stress' the body and the mind. This all natural, free stress releaser will enhance your immune system, lower blood pressure, oxygenate your blood, improve circulation, relieve pain, and literally, make you 'feel good'.
Envision that you are Santa Claus with a belly full of Jell-O. Take a deep breath; smile and using the muscles in your lower abdominal area (below your belly button) simply begin to laugh. Keep doing this until you are 'laughing' intensely enough to make your body shake or vibrate.
Laugh for one or two minutes in the morning and you will feel relaxed, energized, focused and calm. (One minute of sustained belly laughter is equivalent to 10 minutes of aerobic activity) Laugh before going to bed and you will feel relaxed, calm and will sleep more soundly.
To learn more about the Caregiver's Guide to Cracking UP! see http://www.seniorsapprove.com/laughter.html