Caregivers of the Aging

Caring for a senior? You really aren’t alone

In the province of Ontario, it is estimated that up to 90 per cent of senior care needs are met by family and friends. Their efforts are worth about $5.7 billion a year. These informal caregivers are a key ingredient in the health-care system, but, like the system itself, they're overstretched.

A study by the Victorian Order of Nurses into the needs of caregivers shows people need a break, both physical and mental, from their duties.

"Some people go so heavily into the role that they end up being consumed by it," says Mona Munro, a social worker at Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care in Toronto. "Sometimes people have a hard time accepting their limitations."

What they don't realize is taking a break is part of their role as a caregiver, says Schroeder. "It's important that we look at respite as a health-promoting aspect for caregivers. I think many people burn out because there's not the support services or they don't know how to access them."

Many community organizations help lessen the burden by providing a variety of programs or services for elderly people. They visit homes so that caregivers have the opportunity to get out, or even just take a nap.

For seniors living alone, services include a visit or simply a phone call. Professionals and volunteers also run errands, clean house, prepare meals or provide transportation.

In addition, caregivers can tap into a wide network of adult day centres. Such programs give families peace of mind, says Fran Kleiner, a senior social worker at Baycrest's Community Day Centre for Seniors. "It offers their relative a safe, structured environment where they are receiving stimulation."

The Baycrest program is the largest of its kind in Canada, and its staff are a tremendous resource and support for caregivers, director Joyce Lagunoff says. "They walk them through so many issues," she says.

Because seniors have different cognitive and physical abilities, not all day programs are created equal. Etobicoke Services for Seniors (ESS) in west-end Toronto offers everything from a lunch program, designed as a social outlet for those who are quite independent, to programs that cater to people with different degrees of dementia.

While it's a great relief to have a family member in care a few days a week, sometimes that isn't enough for a caregiver to recharge - they need a chance to take vacations or visit friends.

That's where short-term care comes in. A number of retirement residences or long-term care facilities host elderly people for a few days at a time. ESS, for instance, has a homey two-bedroom apartment, where guests are supervised at all times.

"It gives the caregiver a chance to get away and know their loved one is safe," service coordinator Nancy Cussen says. "A lot of times (caregivers) are at the end of their rope."

To help them cope, organizations such as the Alzheimer Society of Canada or the Canadian Cancer Society run caregiver support groups. Baycrest's Sharing the Caring is an eight-week program that lets caregivers share emotions and discuss issues. Often group members are frustrated and under pressure, but don't want to burden their friends with their problems.

"They say, ‘I need to talk to somebody who understands,’ " says Munro, who co-ordinates the group. "Everybody's situation is unique, but there are similarities."

The program helps participants find assistance, deal with demands, communicate with other family members and, most important, recognize their own needs and limitations." Don't be afraid to ask for help and don't try to do it all yourself," Munro advises. "The more people (your dependent) can count on, the more secure they'll feel."

FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Sources of help for caregivers compiled by Michelle Warren