I am blessed with overall good health and still some youthful vigor. OK OK don't laugh too hard, y'all! But I came to understand the physical and mental decline that can occur in long-term caregivers. The toll is significant. Why? Some modest research on the issue reveals that caregivers are prone to depression, stress, frustration, exasperation, coping by using destructive diversions/vices, isolation, ignoring our own healthcare (both preventive and corrective), inactive/sedentary lifestyles, increased risk of heart disease, diminished immune responses, lower levels of self-care, rest, and respite, and increased mortality by almost 60%. "Wow!" is right!
I know some of these pressures. I felt them. I experienced the weakening of my body and physical health, the decline of mental sharpness, social isolation, and had to fight against the feelings of loneliness, anger, and resentment. As a Christian, the spiritual struggle to be true to my first love, the Lord, was intense because I experienced the decline in spiritual disciplines (Word, prayer, community) that promote vitality and joy. While ultimately victorious in His grace, I lost some skirmishes along the way.
Awareness and knowledge of these issues will be key in the future. There will be a surge in caregiving requirements as the Baby Boomers reach long-term care conditions. Clearly, there hasn't been enough planning (family, financial, or emotional) for this. Healthcare resources will be stretched to limits. Tough choices will have to be made. There are not enough long-term care facility options to meet the needs, and competition for space and the best care will drive the cost out of reach for most of us. We will face the reality of long-term, in-home care for our elderly parents, or yield to man's worst impulses and just neglect them.
Sadly, that latter condition will be a concern as the sanctity of life continues to erode in our culture. I'll write more about that in the future.
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