Hidden Sources of Caregiver Anxiety

Anyone who undertakes the task of caring for an elderly or disabled loved one is bound to experience a seismic shift in their priorities, routine, spending, personal relationships, and just about every other aspect of life. While these major changes can create great stress for caregivers, change isn’t the only anxiety-inducing factor.

Caregivers who assume responsibility for a parent or other elderly family member also take on a heavy burden of stress, which is often made greater by:

• Disconnectedness—Elderly and disabled people often require constant attention, making it difficult for caregivers to work in time with spouses, children, and friends, leading to a sense of loneliness and isolation. People who care for loved ones full-time may begin to feel depressed due to lack of relational support and meaningful interaction with others.
• Lack of time to recharge—The demands of caregiving often make it impossible for caregivers to rest, take vacations, maintain hobbies, and engage in other life-enriching activities. This often creates exhaustion due to lack of rest. It can also lead to confusion regarding personal identity and purpose, as well as guilt over discontentment as a full-time caregiver or inability to meet a loved one’s demands.
• Financial pressure—Caring for a loved one often requires significant financial investment, and it can sometimes require that the caregiver leave their job in order to assume full-time responsibility for getting their dependent family member to doctor’s appointments, assisting them with daily activities of living, and providing necessary supervision. If the disabled or elderly person in need of care does not have sufficient insurance coverage or savings, the financial burden may fall to the caregiver, creating additional financial stress.

Help for Family Caregivers in Texas

There are myriad other stressors that full-time family caregivers are likely to experience, including uncertainty about the future, mental health challenges, and deteriorating personal health. In many cases, having another set of hands on deck can alleviate some of the emotional, physical, and personal burden of being a family caregiver.

At Home Healthcare provides the extra help you need to get your life back and make sure your family member receives the care they need. We provide private nursing, attendant services, rehabilitation, and physical, occupational, and speech therapy for people of all ages in the comfort of their own home, and we may be able to do the same for you and your loved one.

Click to request care or call (877) 959-9093 to learn about our in-home care services in Texas.