A nation of caregivers
One in five American adults is caring for another adult without pay, according to a study released this week by the AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving.That number is expected to grow as the Baby Boom generation ages.
While caring for family members or other loved ones is nothing new, what is shifting is the number of Americans who are engaged in care while holding down jobs and juggling other responsibilities--which this study documents for the first time. Seventeen percent of caregivers spend at least 40 hours per week on tasks related to caregiving.
The study also reveals the social, financial, emotional, and health risks inherent to providing care when the caregiver has few coping resources or sources of support.
While I haven't heard much about "care for the caregiver" [other than for professionals] since leaving the AIDS-services sector in the mid-1990's, it is clear that such care will be a growing need in congregations and communities.
And we might have much to learn from the cultures and faith communities of industrializing nations, where caring for older relatives has always been a way of life.
This USA Today story provides a good summary of the study.
.: Posted by Duane Bidwell on Thursday, April 08, 2004
Comments:
Post a Comment