An article published yesterday by USA Today discussed some startling facts about the declining physical and emotional health of middle-aged women. In America, women in this age group are experiencing a steady rise in depression, obesity, smoking and chronic diseases. Middle-aged women are believed to have the lowest well-being of any other age group. And stress from caregiving is believed to be one of the key reasons for this. Today there are 61 million family caregivers in the U.S. Most of them are middle-aged women who are also juggling a part-time job and parenting role on top of caring for their aging family member. Many of them suffer from exhaustion and according to a survey from AARP, 40-70% of caregivers are experiencing symptoms of depression. It’s no question that these women have too much on their plates. So what’s the solution?
Caregivers must remember to make their own health a priority. They must save time for themselves and seek help when they need it. As the aging population continues to rise, this will become even more essential. In order for caregivers to continue helping their aging family members to stay happy and healthy, they must live balanced lives themselves. Another solution is hiring a caregiver from a reputable home care agency to provide respite care for your loved one. This gives the caregiver the break they need to focus on themselves and take care of their health.
