Research
Research
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Find Support.
Wealth, education, employment, community, and safety are not exclusive indicators of reduced mental stress among caregivers. Sure, they help by providing access to home health care and therapy, but there are more things to consider.
Wealth, education, employment, community, and safety are not exclusive indicators of reduced mental stress among caregivers. Sure, they help by providing access to home health care and therapy, but there are more things to consider.
Concerns of failure or of being judged for needing help can keep people isolated.
Concerns of failure or of being judged for needing help can keep people isolated.
- Be open. There is no need to maintain a stiff upper lip. Share your experiences with others. People can relate to your struggles, when they know about them.
- Seek spirituality. Caregivers with a church family feel less burden.
- Make plans. Getting out of the house is restorative. It allows us to laugh, gives us energy, and allows us to be more productive.
Research
Research
Wealth, education, employment, community, and safety provide power. They contribute to how long we live and affect our ability to make healthy choices, select good medical care, and manage stress. People of privilege have access to healthy choices in all of these categories; whereas, marginalized people have limited courses of action. When it comes to caregivers, regardless of privilege they are likely to suffer from depression due to the constant demands that they face while providing care. Are there lessons to be learned from different cultures that can improve the mental stress of caregivers? Although economic status plays a critical role in reducing tensions of caregivers, finding a source of social support is important; spirituality and relationships gained from involvement in a church community can lessen the burden of stress and serve as a lesson from marginalized cultures.
Wealth, education, employment, community, and safety provide power. They contribute to how long we live and affect our ability to make healthy choices, select good medical care, and manage stress. People of privilege have access to healthy choices in all of these categories; whereas, marginalized people have limited courses of action. When it comes to caregivers, regardless of privilege they are likely to suffer from depression due to the constant demands that they face while providing care. Are there lessons to be learned from different cultures that can improve the mental stress of caregivers? Although economic status plays a critical role in reducing tensions of caregivers, finding a source of social support is important; spirituality and relationships gained from involvement in a church community can lessen the burden of stress and serve as a lesson from marginalized cultures.
Economic barriers can prevent caregivers from receiving physical and mental support. A May 2021 report from the Indiana Department of Health found that, “Caregivers did have 1.5 times greater odds of depression than non-caregivers.” Further, “Respondents earning less than $25,000 or those earning between $35,000 - $49,999 were at greater odds of poor mental health than those earning $75,000 or more.” As many caregivers are “on call” everyday and everynight, there is an emotional and physical stress that comes from caregiving. However, not everyone has access to the same care. In this study, income demonstrated statistical significance as a predictor for mental health. In addition to this economic bias, NIH reported that, “socio-demographic variables, female, lower levels of caregivers’ education… were predictive of higher levels of caregivers’ depression symptoms.” NIH went further to explain that care burden and depression can be lessened with social support.
Economic barriers can prevent caregivers from receiving physical and mental support. A May 2021 report from the Indiana Department of Health found that, “Caregivers did have 1.5 times greater odds of depression than non-caregivers.” Further, “Respondents earning less than $25,000 or those earning between $35,000 - $49,999 were at greater odds of poor mental health than those earning $75,000 or more.” As many caregivers are “on call” everyday and everynight, there is an emotional and physical stress that comes from caregiving. However, not everyone has access to the same care. In this study, income demonstrated statistical significance as a predictor for mental health. In addition to this economic bias, NIH reported that, “socio-demographic variables, female, lower levels of caregivers’ education… were predictive of higher levels of caregivers’ depression symptoms.” NIH went further to explain that care burden and depression can be lessened with social support.
Although economically privileged caregivers have access to choices that reduce mental stress compared to those who are marginalized, there is reason to suggest that inadequate community support is a greater factor in determining mental health than low incomes. According to an article in Oncology Times, “African Americans reported less overall stress than white caregivers.” Maria Thomson, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Policy at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond stated that “... there are likely to be important sociocultural differences in the ways in which caregivers experience and attach meaning to caregiving, where they prefer to seek support, and the types of support that would be most helpful.” She noted that religious beliefs also played a role with African-Americans as they more often identified churches and faith-based groups as a source for social support. Further, according to a journal titled, Influence of Religion on Later Burden and Health of New Black and White Caregivers, “Caregivers who viewed God as loving and not controlling and felt a sense of community with their church family had less burden.” The article explains that black caregivers are often more involved in their church and because of this involvement seem to have better mental health. Spirituality and the emotional support gained from those who believe that God is loving experienced reduced caregiver burden.
Although economically privileged caregivers have access to choices that reduce mental stress compared to those who are marginalized, there is reason to suggest that inadequate community support is a greater factor in determining mental health than low incomes. According to an article in Oncology Times, “African Americans reported less overall stress than white caregivers.” Maria Thomson, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Policy at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond stated that “... there are likely to be important sociocultural differences in the ways in which caregivers experience and attach meaning to caregiving, where they prefer to seek support, and the types of support that would be most helpful.” She noted that religious beliefs also played a role with African-Americans as they more often identified churches and faith-based groups as a source for social support. Further, according to a journal titled, Influence of Religion on Later Burden and Health of New Black and White Caregivers, “Caregivers who viewed God as loving and not controlling and felt a sense of community with their church family had less burden.” The article explains that black caregivers are often more involved in their church and because of this involvement seem to have better mental health. Spirituality and the emotional support gained from those who believe that God is loving experienced reduced caregiver burden.
Association between Informal Caregivers and Risk of Psychological Distress. https://www.in.gov/health/oda/files/Research-Report_Associations-Between-Informal-Caregivers-and-Risk-of-Psychological-Distress.pdf.
Sun, Xiaxia, et al. “The Influence of Social Support and Care Burden on Depression among Caregivers of Patients with Severe Mental Illness in Rural Areas of Sichuan, China.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, MDPI, 2 June 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6603995/.
“Mental Health Outcomes among African-American Caregivers : Oncology Times.” LWW, https://journals.lww.com/oncology-times/fulltext/2018/12050/mental_health_outcomes_among_african_american.32.aspx.
Fider, Carla R. A., et al. “Influence of Religion on Later Burden and Health of New Black and White ...” Influence of Religion on Later Burden and Health of New Black and White Caregivers, Southern Gerontological Society, 6 Apr. 2017.
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