Skip to main content

Men Are Family Caregivers, Too

When we think of family caregivers, most of us likely picture an older woman caring for a spouse or an adult daughter tending to her parents. While it is true that female caregivers still outnumber men, the gap is smaller than ever before. For the first time, men make up almost fifty percent of family caregivers.


This change can be attributed to a variety of reasons, including:

  • Higher numbers of women working outside the home
  • Smaller nuclear families with fewer siblings to share care
  • More men recognizing and self-identifying their role as caregivers

Trends in Family Caregiving

What other trends are occurring in family caregiving?

Turns out, quite a lot. According to a Genworth Financial study, today’s caregivers are significantly younger than in past years. Fifty-eight percent of family caregivers are between ages twenty-five and fifty-four. The average age in 2018 was forty-seven versus fifty-three in 2010.

With the decline in age, the impact on the lives of family caregivers has become even more pronounced. Especially when combined with another important change: care recipients need more assistance due to accidents than illness. That’s different than in the past.

In 2010, only eleven percent of older adults needed support because of an accident. Today, that number has soared to twenty-one percent. The sudden nature of an accident-related injury may leave families unprepared to cover a loved one’s needs.

How Caregiving Impacts Families

The Genworth survey also revealed how caregiving is impacting families. While eighty-two percent of loved ones say they have experienced positive feelings due to their role as care provider, there are challenges:

  • Fifty percent of caregivers cited less time to spend with their spouse and children
  • Forty-seven percent said the demands and duties of caregiving negatively impacted their health
  • Forty-one percent suffered from mood swings and depression
  • Fifty-three percent said caregiving increased their stress

The financial toll of family caregiving can also be significant. A few of the issues caregivers raised during the survey included:

  • Cutting back on personal expenditures to pay for caregiving expenses
  • Dipping into or reducing contributions to savings to cover the costs associated with caregiving
  • Selling possessions to help finance a loved one’s care
  • Missing work to tend to their family member
  • Cutting back on work schedules or even losing their jobs
  • Feeling their careers suffered because of caregiving

For these family members, making time to explore senior care options may be the key. From adult day centers to in-home care, respite care, and assisted living, there are many avenues of support available.

Call Sunrise Senior Living for Help

If you are a family caregiver struggling to juggle all your roles and responsibilities, we invite you to call Sunrise Senior Living at 888-434-4648. One of our experienced team members will be happy to assist you in identifying what type of care may be a good fit for your loved one.




from Sunrise Senior Living Blog /blog/november-2019/men-are-family-caregivers-too.aspx?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication
via IFTTT
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dads and Pops: Your Good Health Matters to Us 

Did you know  June is  Men’s Health Month  and Father’s Day anchors Men’s Health Week ?   Celebrate dad on Father’s Day and thank him for all he  has  done, but  also  make sure to seize an opportunity sometime this month to have a conversation with him about his health. This awareness campaign has the critical purpose of informing men   that avoiding preventive healthcare puts them at real and serious risk of  contracting a disease or  acquiring  a chronic condition.   Studies consistently  show the numbers go against men , particularly as they advance into their senior years.   Even with dramatic advances in diagnosis and treatment over the past 100 years, men’s life expectancy still lags significantly behind women. According to  Harvard Health ,  the gap is widening. In 1900, the life expectancy for women was 48.3 years vs. 46.3 for men. In 2017, it was 81.1 years for women vs. 76.1 for men. Harvard...
Post a Comment
Read more

Memorize These Six Signs of a Scam

An 88-year-old woman is one of the latest victims of the sweepstakes scam. She lost $160,000 in order to get the millions the scammer claimed she’d won through the Publishers Clearing House. She’s not alone. This scam has been around for years and has affected tens of thousands. Be aware of the six signs of a scam to avoid losing money. The Caller Insists You Not Tell Anyone In a scam, the caller will insist that you cannot tell anyone. This is more likely to happen with the grandparent scam. The caller will say that the grandchild’s parents cannot know. Secrecy is important to the “grandchild.” If your parents are told not to tell anyone, it’s very likely a scam. Your parents should immediately report the scam to local authorities or the FTC at 1-877-382-4357. The Contact Arrives Out of the Blue A scam is going to start with a random call, email, or unsolicited mailer. Your parents didn’t enter a contest. It could be a scammer posing as a police officer, IRS representative, or ...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to prepare for eldercare medical emergencies

Older adults are fragile and that is often accompanied by a decline in mobility. This makes them more vulnerable to medical emergencies such as a fall or sudden illness. As these health crises are unexpected and the elderly cannot always take prompt action, you need to be prepared. This will result in saving a lot of crucial moments and getting on-time care for the older adult. We have curated pointers that will give you an insight on how to carefully prepare for the eldercare emergencies and ensure the wellbeing of your elderly.   Doctor on Call  As you begin preparing for the eldercare emergencies, you must assemble a list of doctors and home nursing services that will be available 24×7 to provide emergency facilities. The list will come handy and will result in taking quick action. Samvedna Senior Care offers doctor visits at home for senior citizens in times of emergency. The team of skilled doctors is available round the clock to provide special assistance. The...
Post a Comment
Read more