Family caregivers:
How do we support them?
A family caregiver, also known as an informal caregiver, is a non-professional person who provides support to a relative who is partially or totally dependent. This support can include essential daily tasks, ranging from household chores to administrative procedures. Those who take on this crucial role, often for a few hours a week or on a regular basis, enable their loved ones to remain at home. However, this responsibility can be exhausting, both physically and mentally.
It is undeniable that those receiving care need support. However, caregivers themselves also need help to preserve their health. So, how can we support them?
Who Are Family Caregivers?
The Caregiver Barometer, updated annually, provides better insight into caregivers.
The main findings reveal that:
- 1 in 5 people is a caregiver,
- 60% of caregivers are women,
- 70% of caregivers are employed, with 20% dedicating more than 20 hours per week to their loved ones.
Caregivers often juggle their professional and family lives alongside their caregiving roles. Among them, 50% support a relative due to age, 38% because of an illness, and 25% due to a disability. Most caregivers are a spouse (often the wife), a parent, or a child.
Main Challenges Faced by Caregivers
The assistance provided to a loved one inevitably impacts caregivers' lives. The 2022 Caregiver Barometer highlights several negative effects:
- On their leisure time,
- On their morale and sleep,
- On their physical and mental health.
These repercussions can affect their family and professional lives, with serious consequences, sometimes leading to depression. In fact, 60% of caregivers are at risk of increased mortality within three years of their loved one's illness onset, and one in three caregivers dies before the person they care for. Despite these concerning findings, solutions exist to support them.
What Solutions Are Available for Caregivers?
1. Easing Their Daily Lives
Effectively supporting their loved ones is the first step in helping caregivers. Financial aids such as the Autonomy Allowance and the Disabled Adult Allowance can fund specialized support, allowing caregivers to free up time and reduce stress.
2. Providing Respite Solutions
Caregivers may need moments of rest. Services such as daycare or temporary accommodation allow them to entrust their loved ones to professionals and enjoy time for themselves.
3. Establishing Specific Leave
Any employee with a minimum of two years' seniority with the same employer is entitled to unpaid family support leave if they are designated as a family caregiver.
Family support leave lasts for three months and can be renewed, up to a maximum of one year.
4. Encouraging Exchanges Between Caregivers and Professionals
It is essential for caregivers to be able to share experiences and receive training. Local initiatives and associations exist to support them, as well as consultations with psychologists.
How Serenity Monaco Supports Caregivers?
The mental load on caregivers is heavy. Serenity Monaco offers caregivers to relieve them by taking care of the technical daily tasks. From assistance with bathing to administrative management and coordinating medical appointments, these services allow caregivers to focus on quality moments with their loved ones.
For more information, feel free to fill out our contact form.