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WASHINGTON – Do you pass your balance sheet but not that of your grandmother? Caring for an older loved one is a balancing exercise and a new survey shows that all too often, it is the health of caregivers that is neglected.
The survey conducted by NORC's Associated Press-Center for Public Affairs Research found that about one-third of caregivers did not receive routine physical or dental care, skipped or did not plan a test. or a treatment or had even forgotten to fill a prescription or had failed to see a doctor for their own illness or injury because they were too busy with their care duties.
Doctors miss opportunities to help. Most caregivers go to medical appointments with the seniors they care for, but the survey found that they were less likely to get information about personal care, childcare programs, and more. support or other services during these visits as they took the time to consult their own doctor. .
"We still have a long way to go before this is a common practice," said Lynn Feinberg, long-term care specialist at AARP. "This survey really highlights the need to look at both the person and the family."
Four out of ten Americans provided long-term care to a family member or older friend, a volunteer workforce that increases with the aging of the population.
The AP-NORC survey released on Monday revealed that for almost a quarter of them, especially caregivers over the age of 40, the time spent on these tasks equates to a full-time job.
According to the survey, nearly 40% of caregivers have a health problem, a physical disability or a mental health problem that affects their daily lives or limits their activities. More than a quarter of caregivers say that it is difficult to manage their own health at the same time as their tasks. Even more people with chronic diseases, 40%, are struggling to cope.
Deborah Ecker and her husband recently transferred her extremely independent senior parents to their Pennsylvania home, spurred by scary hospitalizations. Ecker 's father, at age 89, needs full – time oxygen to cure emphysema and has contracted pneumonia. Her mother, 88, was hospitalized for congestive heart failure and severe hypertension.
"I have embarked on this adventure and I am not sorry," said Ecker, 61, who, with her husband, is a missionary but does not accompany her for the moment in their ministry trips. . "They deserve to be taken care of. They are so loving and generous. "
But a few months ago, Ecker realized that she needed to pay more attention to her own health. She had successfully completed a cancer treatment in 2016, but she was overweight and the formerly routine exercise hours fell to the water.
A post-hospitalization surveillance program from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center reinforced Ecker's confidence in his mother's care, which was able to save time to consult with his own doctor. Ecker learned that insulin resistance had gained weight and that she began taking medication and following a dietary program. She then plans how to work during the exercise period.
The AP-NORC survey found that only a quarter of caregivers were discussing their care responsibilities with their own physicians – but of these, half had received information on care support services and three-quarters important information about personal care.
In contrast, the vast majority of caregivers accompany the person they attend to doctor's appointments, usually going to the exam rather than staying in the waiting room. Yet less than 40% collected advice on caregiver resources during these visits.
The AP-NORC Long Term Care Survey was conducted from June 26 to July 10, with funding from the SCAN Foundation. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish with 1,024 adults from the country with experience in providing long-term care. Interviews were conducted online or by telephone among members of the NORC-based AmeriSpeak Probability Panel, designed to be representative of the US population.
The margin of error is plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.
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