Opportunities and Challenges of Informal Caregiving

"The economic value contributed by family caregivers to society is estimated to be $350 billion."

I find this number (found on page 395 of the Hooyman text) to be quite astounding. Especially when the country already spends a quarter of its annual budget on health care for the elderly. I think more people may be watched after by their families than we think. I read in the book that a woman (women are most likely to be a caregiver) will spend more years taking care of their parents and husband's parents and their husband than they will taking care of their own children. And oftentimes they take care of elders at a cost to their job  outside the home, spending less time with their husband and children, and not receive the help they need from other family members.

Below is a poem written by a husband to his wife. From the sounds of things he took extensive care of her in old age. 

To Watch You, Admire You, Adore You

© Danny Blackburn 

I was a blessed today in a special way
I was able to be with you all day

I got to watch you, admire you, adore you and appreciate your smile
I watched you when you did not know I was looking, admiring your beauty all the while

I touched you and you complained, not of my touch but at what you feel are your imperfections
My wife so beautiful why can’t you see, God created you, you have matured with perfection

When I look at you I see a very beautiful woman, beauty so pure
When I touch you, you still move my heart and soul that is for sure

When I feel your body with my hands, I feel so much
I feel warmth, love and beauty in a touch

Yes, you have matured and for that I must say that I have no doubt
I also feel that you are more of a woman today that I could not live without

I love to feel your body, your skin so delicate, so fine
And then I think why am I so lucky that God has made you mine

I love you for who your are and who you have become
I love you because you have matured with me and our hearts are still so young

Your beauty is a mature beauty that shows the life of a mother and a wife
You are so perfect to me, so beautiful, I thank God that you are in my life

Please do not doubt me when I express to you how beautiful you are
You are as beautiful today as the first time I seen you and admired you from a far

To touch you and caress you gives me great pleasure
For to me I am in love with a very special treasure

Pammy, you are my life’s love and my one desire

One of the largest challenges that an informal care giving brings is that of mobility for the older person. Oftentimes it may cause the older person pain to move, they may be too large for the care giver to move on their own, or the older person may simply not want to move. I saw the later with my grandmother's late husband. It wasn't that he couldn't move around on his own, it was simply that he didn't want too. I think that he may have been scared of falling and not being able to get up-which happened more than once. I like the cartoon pictured above this paragraph because it shows how an older person may be reluctant to use the aid of a scooter but once they realize that it can give them their freedom back they warm up to it.

For Better or Worse by Lynn Johnston: July 30, 2006

One of the major drawbacks for an informal care giver is that they might not know the resources available to them. The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 states that businesses with fifty or more employees must grant up to 12 weeks annually for an employee whose child, spouse, or parent (not in-law) have a serious health condition. Unfortunately this leave is unpaid but it is an option for emergencies should they arise. (According to the class text all industrialized countries besides Australia and the United States have some wage replacement for employees who take leave (pg 411)). Also unfortunate is that FMLA does not apply to small employers.

Other services that care givers may not be aware of include support groups, respite care, and adult day-care. Below is a short list of internet sites that may be of help to caregivers. The sites offer various services including respite care, long term care assistance, and support groups for care givers.  This is by no means an exhaustive list. But it is a place to start. And most sites can direct you to others.


Visiting Angels: This site states "Our Angels provide respite care, senior personal care, elder care, and companion care so that elderly adults can continue to live independently in their own homes throughout America." There is also a search function to see if Visiting Angels are available in your area.

Elder Care Directory: This site has a link to every states Aging Services Division

Children for Aging Parents: This national organization aims to support those who care for elderly parents. They believe that the health of the care giver is essential to the older person.

Aging Parents and Elder Care: This site has checklists to getting started with elder care. It also has links to books, videos, support groups and more. There is also an information tab to help visitors understand Medicare. The site also provides links to other sites that may deal with more specific issues of elder care such as Alzheimer disease and nutrition.

Unfortunately we cannot talk about the care giving of elder adults without talking about Elder Abuse. Contrary to popular belief, physical abuse is not the only type of abuse an elder may suffer. Elders also suffer from sexual abuse, emotional abuse, material or financial abuse, medical abuse, neglect, violation of rights and abandonment. Below is a video produced by the Witness organization. Witness is an international organization that creates videos about various human rights violations. You can learn more about them here.

A scholarly article published by the Age and Aging Journal in 2007 and by Christine H. McAlpine about the history of elder abuse and its recognition by national politics may be found here.