By Karen Guice | Webster Parish Council on Aging
Karen’s Korner
Caregiving can be rewarding, but it is also challenging. It surely has its ups and downs. Whether it is a family member, a spouse or even a neighbor, it can become very difficult for the one providing the care.
“If you care for a loved one with health problems, dementia or disabilities, you could probably use some breaks to manage your own health and personal business, or just to get time to yourself. Health professionals call that “respite.” (AARP)
But chances are, you aren’t getting the respite you’d like. While nearly 4 in 10 family caregivers want respite services, just 14 percent receive them, according to “Respite Services: A Critical Support for Family Caregivers,” a 2024 report from the AARP Public Policy Institute.
Statistics tell us the following from the National Alliance for Caregiving: “The 2025 report tells a stunning story: 63 million Americans—1 in 4 adults—are providing ongoing care for older adults, people with serious illnesses, or those with disabilities. That’s a jaw-dropping 20 million increase since 2015, revealing a caregiving crisis that’s been hiding in plain sight.”
Taking time for yourself can make you a better caregiver. Caregiving is constant, it is exhausting, and it is challenging at best. It requires so much of the caregiver that they probably never expected. Here are some helpful tips from AARP – Loving Tips by Yvette Nicole Brown, who has an 81 years old father with Alzheimer’s!
Don’t do it alone – Get help from family and others – “Your family and friends can’t possibly help you if you aren’t honest about your needs.” Seek support and counseling.
Make self-care a priority – You must have quality time for yourself. “I want to implore every caregiver to work to figure out how to do this for themselves. If you are depleted, you are no good,” she says.
Do things that make your loved one happy.
Fight for what’s right. Many family caregivers provide about 20 hours of unpaid labor per week, or even more. That’s not right, she says. So, she’s lobbying for federal laws and government programs that allow for paid time off for family caregivers. “We need something specifically for the caregivers,” Brown says. “At one time or another in our lives, all of us will either need caregivers or be caregivers.”
Find joy in caregiving: “You are reminding a human being how to be a human being. I can put on a Miles Davis song, and his face is like he is hearing it for the first time. That’s a world of wonder. That’s joyous.”
I hope this information has been helpful for you who are caregivers. And speaking from experience, a lot of love and prayer is also essential. God Bless you all.