By
Hilary Gibson, Staff Writer
Caregivers in the United States currently number close to 54
million, with this figure expected to climb even higher because
of the 75 million aging baby-boomers. The odds are in favor of
almost every person (at some point in their lifetime) becoming a
caregiver for a spouse, an elderly parent, or for a child or
grandchild. What once seemed to be an exclusive club is quickly
filling-up with more and more caregivers as its constituents.
The situations that place people into the role as caregiver
transcend all socio-economic levels, age, race, religion, and
workplace status. Since caregiving can be such a daunting task,
every shred of help, information and education obtained can make
a big difference in how a person goes about taking on this role.
It’s much easier to cope with the demands of caregiving if the
family is living in an urban or suburban area. The obvious
reason being easier access to different agencies, organizations,
and outreach programs, not to mention available forms of
transportation. But imagine all the caregiver responsibilities
and stresses compounded by issues of time and distance - this is
what the rural caregiver must face - along with feeling alone,
forgotten, and ignored.
Rural caregivers have special needs, concerns and
barriers that their urban and suburban counterparts do not have to
consider. Challenges such as isolation, transportation, separation
from extended family and the standard of living are just a few of
the issues that a rural caregiver must face, along with the already
challenging task of caring for a loved one. More importantly, how
does a rural caregiver receive proper training and education to be
able to tend to their loved one’s needs? Agencies and outreach
programs don’t exist around the corner, or even down the block, but
are instead miles away from where the rural caregiver can access
them easily or quickly. In order for the rural caregiver to attend
any type of training or education on how to care for a loved one,
they must embark on what will be a major undertaking. First, they
must find some sort of respite care to come in to their home, in
order to watch their loved one while they are away receiving
caregiven support, training and education. Second, they must find
reliable transportation that will take them to a training facility.
What if the distance is great enough that the rural caregiver must
spend an entire day, even over night, away from their loved one? Who
is qualified to watch their loved one for an extended period of
time? What will all this cost and where will the money come from?
There are so many more complex components thrown in to rural
caregiving that it’s exhausting just thinking about them. What can a
rural caregiver do? What are some of the solutions for distance,
time, and isolation?
Very few studies have been done specifically
about the plight of the rural caregiver and the effect that
caregiving has had on them. However, the studies that have been done
to date, show a pattern of similar qualities and responses among
rural caregivers. It isn’t too surprising that one of the
similarities noted most, are the ones shared with the rest of family
caregivers. The majority of rural caregivers are women who are
daughters, daughters-in-law or spouses between the ages of 40 and
70. Common effects of caregiving on this group include feelings of
burden, strain, role fatigue, role overload, stress and perceived
stress. The issue of isolation plays an even greater role in the
psyche of the rural caregiver, leading to feelings of fatigue,
anxiety, depression, anger, guilt, frustration, and financial
concerns, all usually stemming from a lack of social support.
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