Marguerite Manteau-Rao warn us about caregivers’ burn out. She says on the Huffington Post: “…For the 15 million in this country who are caring for a loved one with dementia*, this is what life is like — according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2012 Report:
- 61 percent of dementia caregivers suffer from high emotional stress
- 33 percent report symptoms of depression
- They experience caregiving strain regarding financial issues (56 percent), and family issues (53 percent).
- 43 percent experience high physical stress
- 75 percent are concerned about maintaining their health.
- Dementia caregivers are more likely to have adverse physiological changes such as high levels of stress hormones, reduced immune function, increased hypertension, coronary heart disease.
- 37 percent rate stress as their greatest difficulty.
- In the last year of their loved one’s life, 59 percent feel they are on duty 24 hours a day.
- 72 percent of caregivers express relief after their loved ones die.
by Noelle Buhidar, The RetailMeNot Insider
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today unveiled the first-ever “National Plan To Address Alzheimer’s Disease,” as mandated by the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA). The comprehensive plan calls for the prevention and effective treatment of Alzheimer’s disease by 2025 and lays out strategies related to awareness and education, clinical care standards, long-term care and supportive services for family caregivers, and up-to-date training of healthcare professionals.
