Family Care Partner Health
Family care partners are an essential part of the equation for living well with dementia. Being a family care partner isn’t easy, but the information and resources on this page will help you navigate the complexity of care partnership.
A note on language:
“Caregiving” suggests a one-way interaction, while “care partnering” suggests reciprocity and honors the contributions all parties make to the overall experience of caring. “Care partnering” is a more inclusive and egalitarian term, but “caregiver” is more commonly used in the United States. A “caretaker” usually refers to a person who supports inanimate objects and should not be used to describe human care interactions.
“There are only four kinds of people in the world: Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers. Those who will need caregivers.”
Rosalynn Carter, Former First Lady
Some facts about
family care partners in Nevada:
adults in nevada are caregivers.
of care partners have provided care at least 20 hours per week.
total care partners in Nevada.
of care partners have provided care for at least two years.
manage household tasks
total hours of unpaid care in 2020.
are supporting someone living with dementia.
assist with personal care.
total value of unpaid care in 2020
What is the impact of unpaid care?
Family caregiving has been associated with:
- Elevated levels of depression and anxiety
- Higher use of psychoactive medications
- Worse self-reported physical health
- Compromiused immune function
- Increased risk of early death
80% of care partners in Nevada have chronic health conditions, and 18% have depression.
According to the CDC, over half (53%) of caregivers indicate that a decline in their health compromises their ability to provide care.
Keeping yourself health as a family care partner means you are better able to offer care to others.
What are some of the positive aspects of being a family care partner?
- Opportunities to reciprocate
- Spending more quality time together
- Stronger, deeper relationships
- Openings to practice mindfulness
- Opportunities to learn and grow
- Connecting me to the meaning of life
- Sense of purpose and usefulness
- Deepening our humanity
Proactive Approaches to Family Care Partner Health
Reduce stress
Take a break
Immunize!
Get good sleep
Schedule respite support
Ask for and/or accept help
Schedule
“me time”
Eat healthy foods
Keep a gratitude journal
Meditate and/or practice mindfulness
Walk, stretch, dance… move!
Stay connected with family and friends
Stay current on check-ups and screenings
Tell your doctor if you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed
Tell your doctor that you are a caregiver
Here’s an activity to check-in on your own well-being.
We can think of our well-being as divided amongst different domains. It is only if we can satisfy all of those domains that we can truly live our fullest, happiest, healthiest lives. Use this worksheet to check-in on those domains. If each domain is a cup, how full would you say that cup is?
Remember: you can’t help full someone else’s cups if your cups are empty!
Plan ahead, together
Develop a care plan together, including information about:
- Health conditions
- Medications
- Healthcare providers
- Emergency contacts
- Important social history
- Routines and preferences
- Advanced directives
Consider ways to eliminate these avoidable sources of stress for your loved one with dementia:
- Lack of autonomy
- Lack of sleep
- Lack of routine
- Lack of balance (between restfulness and activity)
- Too much noise
- Too much clutter
Join Dr. Jennifer Carson (family care partner and Director of Dementia Friendly Nevada)
as she brings all of the above content to life in her recent webinar!
Dr. Carson’s webinar is available through a free course hosted by Making Health Happen.
Get connected with resources for family care partners
Dementia Friendly Nevada’s Dementia Conversations (virtual)
The NEST Collaborative’s JAVA Music for family care partners and people living with dementia (virtual)
Nevada Dementia Supports Toolbox
Nevada Resilience Project (one-to-one support for struggles and behavioral health challenges, resource navigation, and help developing a plan)
Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline: (800) 272-3900
Alzheimer’s Association Family Caregiver Website
UNR Nevada Caregiver Support Center’s Caregiver Coaching Program
Don’t stop here…
Find more resources!
Nevada is full of resources available to you
and your loved one living with dementia.