Caring for relatives makes you sick yourself

According to a study, relatives tend to care for the needy at home, often themselves affected by mental and physical illnesses.

30/01/2011

According to one study, relatives who care for loved ones are sick much more often than others. Nurses therefore have to go much more often into a medical treatment and are also much more frequently administered drugs and also prescribed cures. Above all, the mental stress is enormous.

People who care for the elderly at home often have to go for medical treatment themselves. The fact of caring for a loved one day and night means a high physical and psychological burden for most people. The enormous pressure that results from this, on average, makes the caregiver ill more often. This was the result of a study by the Siemens company health insurance fund. Those affected mainly suffer from mental illnesses such as depression or fatigue syndrome „Burnout“. Every sixth member of the self-care is affected.

Overspending for the health insurance companies
During the course of the study, the patient data were evaluated by around 700 caregivers aged 31 to 60 years of age. Around 51 percent of those affected are significantly more affected by chronic or more serious illnesses than people who do not work in the home. According to the Siemens BKK, the additional expenditures of the health insurance funds are 18 percent higher than the average.

Physical stress causes discomfort
In addition to the psychological effects, the physical illnesses and complaints also play a major role. The physical strain of lifting, turning and carrying the patient causes symptoms such as back pain, flank pain and abdominal pain. Back pain, circulatory problems and influenza infections are the most common diagnoses. „But that's the smaller part. The far bigger problem is mental stress“ explained Franz Billinger from Siemens BKK.

Depression and emotional suffering
The study found that about 17 percent of relatives suffer from depressive episodes or manifested depression. Compared to the „normal“ Health insurance is the proportion of depression about three and a half times that size. According to the study data, it is generally the family to care for severely mentally handicapped or cognitively restricted people. The mental stress and the little appreciation for their compassionate actions makes the caregiver hard. Especially serious is the handling of dementia or Alzheimer's patients. That means a lot of emotional stress for many, according to the nursing expert Claudia Brinner from the charity Caritas. The helpers are getting into a social isolation due to their difficult task. There is hardly any help and exchange with other people. The support and counseling services for those affected are still very poor.

2.4 million people are in need of care
According to the latest estimates of the Federal Statistical Office, around 2.4 million people in Germany are currently in need of care. By 2020, the number will increase by around 500,000 to 2.91 million people in need of care. The proportion of people in need of care will rise to about 6 percent of the German population by 2050. About two-thirds of those affected are cared for at home by their partner, friends or family. Due to demographic change, diseases such as dementia, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's will increase steadily. (Sb)

Also read:
Hartz-IV: higher ALG II claim for care
Nursing benefits better deductible
Contribution increase expected at nursing care insurance

Picture: Rainer Sturm