Caregiving is a difficult task that involves a lot of physical, mental and emotional work. In fact, according to Hugues Joublin a family caregiver can spend up to 40 hours a week on caregiving duties, which is even more work than what is put into a regular job.
Common Challenges for Caregivers by Hugues Joublin
While caregiving can be rewarding, most caregivers will also face certain challenges that make things difficult. Hugues Joublin explains that these challenges can leave them overwhelmed and stressed.
Time Management
Caregiving is a very time-consuming responsibility and many caregivers often end up struggling to manage their time around their other duties. For example, their jobs or social life may be affected because they end up sacrificing things they enjoy, and then some portion of their other responsibilities to manage caregiving.
Stress
Understandably, when you have a lot on your plate, you are bound to get stressed. Caregivers are under a lot more stress than others, if only because they don’t just deal with the physical stress of caregiving alongside their personal responsibilities, but also the emotional and mental stress of seeing their loved one’s health decline – not to mention the resulting sleep deprivation. According to Hugues Joublin, about 20% of caregivers report that their health has also declined due to caregiving.
Lack of Privacy
Family caregivers often tend to feel like their privacy is being violated – even if unintentionally. When you have to always be around to care for your loved one – especially in a small space – it may feel like you get no space to yourself, or that setting up boundaries is difficult.
Financial Trouble
Most family caregivers are unpaid – and are doing all the work of caregiving as well as all the work of a paying job. But many times, they may find themselves having to sacrifice on the paying job to provide for their loved one, and this can end up taking a financial toll on them, especially if caregiving involves some heavy expenses as well.
Hugues Joublin Explains The Importance of Reaching Out For Help
Feeling annoyed or overwhelmed by the caregiving process can give rise to a third negative feeling: guilt. Hugues Joublin explains that feeling this guilt is natural, and that most people who are providing care do feel guilty when they start feeling irritated by all the work they have to put in. After all, caregiving is rewarding to some degree, but when your life gets put on hold because of it, it can be exhausting.
That is why, reaching out for help when you need it is extra important. Caregivers can often fall into stress and depression due to caregiving, and having a support system in place is important to avoid this. It’s also important to make sure that you take time out for yourself, rather than simply dedicating every waking moment of the day to caregiving.
Asking for help is okay, and there is no shame in it. While there will be guilt, it’s important to realize that you also deserve some time off, and that being in a good mental state is also necessary to make sure that you can keep providing your loved one with good quality care in the future.