Church Partnership Newsletter September 2017 | Page 2

Caregiver Health
As a caregiver, am I at risk for health problems?
Yes. Because being a caregiver is so hard, your health may
suffer. You may feel stressed or overwhelmed by being a
caregiver. You may find that you spend much of your time
caring for others, but neglect your own health. Some of the
tasks of being a caregiver such as lifting or bathing your loved
one may put extra strain on your body. Being a caregiver also
can cause financial stress, and you may avoid going to the
doctor so you don’t have to pay for visits or treatments. All of
these things can affect your emotional, mental, and physical health.
What health problems am I at risk for?
Studies show that caregivers have an increased risk for the following health problems:
 Alcohol, tobacco, and drug abuse
 Heartburn
 Anxiety disorders
 Infection
 Cancer
 Obesity
 Diabetes
 Pain, such as muscle or joint pain and
headaches
 Heart disease, such as high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, and heart
 Stress and depression
attack
Resource: https://familydoctor.org/caregiver-health-and-wellness/?adfree=true
What Can I do?
Care for Yourself. On an airplane, an oxygen mask descends in
front of you. What do you do? As we all know, the first rule is to
put on your own oxygen mask before you assist anyone else.
Only when we first help ourselves can we effectively help others.
Caring for yourself is one of the most important—and one of the
most often forgotten—things you can do as a caregiver. When
your needs are taken care of, the person you care for will benefit,
too.
Resource: https://www.caregiver.org/print/27