The Overlooked Toll of Caregiving

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The Overlooked Toll of Caregiving

One thing Ty Lewis, a certified dementia practitioner, didn’t expect when she started caring for her mother? The physicality of it. “There are parts of my body that I didn't know were able to ache,” she says. “People would look at my mom and say, ‘Oh, she's small.’ But it's the lifting. It's getting her in and out of the shower. I still have to lift 98 pounds daily.”

Lewis is one of many young adults who make up the growing generation of caregivers (some of whom are caring for their kids too). While the positive and negative mental health impacts of caregiving are well known, we don’t often talk about the physical ones. Example: Over 40% of caregivers — who are often women and people of color — have multiple chronic illnesses. But despite the invisible labor, your health deserves care, too. 

How caregiving affects your body

There's the direct impact of physical strain and the indirect impact of neglecting your health to focus on your loved one, says Laurel Wittman, president of the Well Spouse Association. 

A lot of it comes down to lack of time. With a reported average of 26 hours per week spent caregiving, most carers are less likely to attend their own doctor’s appointments and screenings — like the 21% of caregivers in this study who had fewer mammograms. Not ideal, since the chronic stress of caregiving may come with a host of health problems, like…

• Increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes

• Chronic inflammation

• Weakened immune system

• Shortened lifespan

• Coping mechanisms like drinking and smoking 

Combine that with about 6.1 years of losing sleep and little time to exercise or prep nutritious meals, and the risks can add up.

Your move

Caregiving is a labor of love. And many people, including Lewis, find it rewarding. But there are ways to ensure it doesn’t take such a toll on your body:

• Ask for help. “Even if a family member can help out one weekend a month, those little breaks are really life-giving,” says primary care physician Chris Scuderi, DO. 

• Have the same doctors as your loved one. So you can schedule back-to-back appointments and save yourself some trips, Wittman suggests.

• Schedule you time. Meet up with a friend, go for a walk, or take a nap — whatever you need. 

• Explore assistance programs. See if you can get paid to care for your loved one. Check out other resources like Area Agencies on Aging, AARP, and Family Caregiver Alliance.

Last week, we asked you to vote on a question to answer. The winner was:

How hot does it have to be before it’s safer to be inside?

FEATURED EXPERT:

Beth Oller, MD

Family medicine physician based in Stockton, KS

“When it gets to be over 100 degrees, anyone is going to have ill effects from heat before very long, and time spent outside — especially during the hottest parts of the day — should be limited as much as possible,” says Oller. That’s especially crucial for people who are more vulnerable to heat: “Those with heart or lung issues, older adults, pregnant persons and newborns.” 

PS: Here are Oller’s tips for staying safe in the heat. Plus, a new tool from the NOAA and CDC to help protect you, too.

This week, Skimm Well writer Sami Roberts tested out a high-tech rowing machine.

What we tried: Aviron Strong Rower

What it'll cost you: $2,199 for the machine. An optional membership — including guided workouts, games, and streaming — costs $24 to $29/month. (Promo code SKIMM200 gets Skimm’rs $200 off). 

What we think: 9/10. This rower made me break a sweat and left me sore, yet I was pleasantly distracted from the pain of working out thanks to the game feature and the ability to stream my shows. Even without the additional membership option, you can still get a full-body workout and track your metrics. One point deducted for how much space it takes up in my apartment.

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