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Caring for the Caregiver

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 03, 2002

Contact:
Adam Lee
American Academy of Family Physicians
(800) 274-2237 Ext. 5221
alee@aafp.org

65 years or older. As the elderly population increases, more people will be working as caregivers for family members. A caregiver is someone who provides basic care to an individual who has a chronic medical condition. Caregivers often feel overwhelmed and stressed because the person they are caring for may not know who the caregiver is anymore, may have behavior problems, and may be too ill to talk or follow simple plans. In addition, the caregiver may not receive thanks from the person they are caring for, adding to the feelings of stress and frustration.

Common signs of caregiver stress include:

feeling sad or moody;
having a low energy level;
having trouble sleeping or not wanting to get out of bed in the morning;
losing interest in hobbies;
having trouble eating;
feeling angry at the person he/she is caring for; and
crying often.

A caregiver should speak with their family physician about their feelings if they are experiencing any of these symptoms. A family physician can educate the caregiver about the medical condition the person they are caring for is facing. He or she can also educate the caregiver on coping strategies and offer community resources to help them cope with the feelings of stress.

Being a caregiver is difficult — most doctors think of caregivers as ”hidden patients.” If the caregiver doesn’t take care of him/herself and stay well, they won’t be able to help anyone else. Family physicians can help prepare caregivers to cope with the many phases of their challenging role.

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Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents more than 93,000 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.

Nearly one in four of all office visits are made to family physicians. That is 215 million office visits each year – nearly 48 million more than the next medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide the majority of care for America’s underserved and rural populations.

In the increasingly fragmented world of health care where many medical specialties limit their practice to a particular organ, disease, age or sex, family physicians are dedicated to treating the whole person across the full spectrum of ages. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.

To learn more about the American Academy of Family Physicians and about the specialty of family medicine, please visit www.aafp.org.

For more information about the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care and downloadable multi-media on family medicine and health care, visit the AAFP Media Center.

For more information about health care, health conditions, and wellness, please visit familydoctor.org.