Effects of Stress on Caregivers of Chronically ILL Patients

Abstract

Chronic illnesses like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, paralysis and so on can be disabling for a patient. Under these conditions the patient becomes dependent on another person and constantly need help from him/ her, even in the activities of daily living. The services provided by this person is called 'caregiving', while the person himself/herself is called the 'caregiver'. Caregivers can be either formal (nurses and trained staffs of hospitals) or informal (family members and friends). In case of informal caregivers, the responsibilities of maintaining a regular family life and career in addition to the duties of caregiving naturally leads to great stress. Dealing with this stress on a regular basis affects both the caregivers' mental as well as physical health, which if not monitored at the right time can become life-threatening. This study can help create an awareness amongst the family members of a primary caregiver as well as medical professionals to keep a check on the health status (both psychological and physical) of the caregiver in order to prevent him/her from becoming a patient himself/herself.