Author: Anne Bogardus, Founder (and former caregiver)
If you’ve been the caregiver for an aging parent, you know it’s a hard job, but did you know that it affects you physically as well as emotionally? Kathryn Doyle, writing for Reuters, reported on a Canadian study conducted by the University of Victoria that detailed the different ways men and women are affected by caregiving, and how their relationship to the person being cared for affects them.
Margaret J Penning of the University of Victoria Sociology Department said, “Things that may be helpful for caregivers include planning ahead, seeking information on caregiving and the specific illness involved, accepting your feelings, attending to your own needs and seeking support from others.”
Not surprisingly, many factors affect how caregivers are impacted by their caregiving responsibilities, including their age, gender, and employment status.
Read the complete Reuter’s article for more details.