-
9.9 million Americans
(family, friends, and neighbors) provide unpaid care for someone
with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia.
-
In 2008, these unpaid
caregivers provided 8.5 billion hours of care and they provide more
hours of help, on average, than caregivers of other older people.
-
About 60% of family
and other unpaid caregivers are women.
-
87% of caregivers
were taking care of a relative. The remaining 13% of caregivers
were taking care of a non-relative, including a friend or neighbor.
-
23% of caregivers
lived in the same household as the person for whom they were providing
care.
-
19% of caregivers
were under age 35; 29% were age 35–49; 37% were age 50–64;
and 14% were age 65 and older.
- Caregiving
tasks can include:
- Shopping
for groceries, preparing meals, and providing transportation
- Helping
the person take medications correctly and follow treatment recommendations
for his
or her dementia and other medical conditions
- Managing
finances and legal affairs
- Supervising
the person to avoid unsafe activities, such as wandering and getting
lost
- Bathing,
dressing, feeding and helping the person use the toilet or providing
incontinence care
- Making
arrangements for medical care and paid in-home, assisted living,
or nursing home
care
- Managing
behavioral symptoms
- More
than 40% of family and other unpaid caregivers rate the emotional
stress of caregiving as high or very high.
- About
one-third of family caregivers have symptoms of depression.
- 49%
of family and other unpaid caregivers (not including spouse caregivers)
had caregiving-related, out-of-pocket expenses that averaged $219/mo.
|
