Depression and Caregivers
Interesting article in USA Today about job categories with the highest rates of depression. Turns out "Personal Care Workers," especially those dealing with the elderly, are the most likely to experience bouts of depression that last longer than two weeks. Here's a quote:
"Women were more likely than men to have had a major bout of depression, and younger workers had higher rates of depression than their older colleagues.
Almost 11 percent of personal care workers -- which includes child care and helping the elderly and severely disabled with their daily needs -- reported depression lasting two weeks or longer.
During such episodes there is loss of interest and pleasure, and at least four other symptoms surface, including problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration and self-image."
Yep, we claim numero uno when it comes to being down in the dumps! DUH. It just ain't an easy job, folks. That's why we must find time for ourselves - and for God's sake have a sense of humor! Find someone who shares your caregiver angst and laugh together. For example, I couldn't live without an almost daily dose of my close friend, Kathy J (cheers - photo attached), whose mom is "the other diva in Depends." Not only do we listen to each other, we laugh - a LOT! That release helps me get back in the frying pan with my parents without over-dosing on Prozac or martinis. In fact, Kathy is the olive in my martini, she's that great! OK, now I'll go pick up my mom for her post-op eye exam.
posted by Shannon Ingram | 2:23 PM
3 Comments:
Yes, I need a friend. I'm a new full-time caregiver to my father-in-law, as well as my 3 adopted grandsons. Talk about the sandwich generation! I began my haunted gingerbread house today and was letting the icing dry doing something in another room. I walked back out to find that my father-in-law had helped himself to part of the gingerbread and had smeared the black icing, ruining the project. Maybe someday this will be the stuff of laughs, but today it was the stuff of tears and yelling. I'm still so very angry with him for doing this. It wasn't like there was nothing else out and available to eat.
So, I'm already quite frustrated with this task and not liking him very much this moment.
Bless you for being a new full-time caregiver for your father-in-law and grandsons!!! Wow! I love the gingerbread house icing story because it's SO "caregiver" - and it's the kind of poignant stuff that does bring us to PAIN and tears and then later it's all about laughter. You must find a way to VENT - and feel free to vent here. If we couldn't laugh at the horrors we are encountering, we'd all be depressed to the point of suicide at some point. I'm happy to hear from you, and know that my little "community" which seldom posts messages will agree! Thank you for having the courage to post your message! All the best...Shannon
Gidday Shannon, Sunny greetings from the Land Downunder! I love and appreciate your posts, I relate to them so much and they greatly inspire and comfort me in knowing that I am not alone on this journey as a caregiver to both my parents. My Dad has alzheimers and my Mum is fast on the track of joining the club unbeknown to her, bless her cotton socks! My father is French and my Mother is Japanese so it is a comedy of errors in the household with regards to communication. Dad's days are numbered with living at home and we make the most of every rare precious moment that he is lucid that we can salvage on a daily basis at present. Physically he is as fit as a malley bull but mentally his spirit left us 12mths ago and he is a mere shell of the man he once was but we chose to focus on the loving, giving and compassionate father/husband that we know still exists in essence. Despite all the challenges that present themselves we still manage to share laughter and embrace the simple joys of life more than ever before and this in itself is a cherished blessing in disguise. We are all human and have our moments of frustration and heartbreak in amoungst the madness of it all but I am eternally grateful for the amazing network of family and friends that help lighten the load with ongoing unconditional love and support that makes facing each day less of a chore. It really brings home with a big thud the reality that life is indeed far too short and precious to be wasted on the small stuff and with each and every day that we wake up and are still breathing that we should count our blessings and be grateful for the Miracle of being alive! Patience is a virtue and I am learning that lesson big time and such is the process of life as we witness our parents growing older and vulnerable and more reliant on us and the tables turn and the very least that we can do is repay them for the care that they provided for us as best that were able when we were young, it is a small price to pay in the bigger scheme of things. God bless! Brightest blessings, Jane :>
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