2d • General discussion
Dementia caregivers provide more that 14 hours of care a day...
One-third of dementia caregivers provide more than 14 hours of care per day.
Not occasionally. Daily.
That's 98+ hours weekly.
More than two full-time jobs.
With zero salary. Zero benefits. Zero vacation days.
This is the caregiving crisis nobody talks about.
The numbers:
68% of caregivers say ADL impairments (bathing, toileting, dressing) are most problematic.
50% say behavior problems.
45% say cognitive impairments.
36% say communication problems.
But here's what the research actually shows:
Neuropsychiatric symptoms predict caregiver burden more than anything else.
Not the memory loss. Not the functional decline.
The aggression. The paranoia. The sundowning. The personality changes.
Those destroy caregivers.
What burns caregivers out:
Disruptive behaviors - agitation, aggression, verbal outbursts, physical violence.
These symptoms damage the emotional connection between caregiver and patient.
You're caring for someone who doesn't recognize you. Who accuses you of stealing. Who hits you when you try to help them bathe.
That's not the person you married. Or the parent who raised you.
But you're trapped caring for them anyway.
The invisible burden:
Caregivers who work jobs miss hours due to care demands.
Caregivers who don't work are providing 80-100 hours weekly.
Unpaid. Undervalued. Isolated.
Depression rates in dementia caregivers: 40-70%.
Higher than general population by 3-4x.
Physical health declines. Immune function weakens.
Caregivers die at higher rates than non-caregivers.
What doesn't help:
"Self-care" advice. "Take time for yourself."
When? Between the 2am clothing change and 6am medication?
Support groups that meet during work hours.
Respite care with 6-month waiting lists.
The research that matters:
Interventions targeting neuropsychiatric symptoms reduce caregiver burden.
Treating patient's aggression helps caregiver depression.
Managing behavior problems extends time before nursing home placement.
This isn't just about the patient. It's about the caregiver surviving.
What we need:
Better medications for neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Same-day access to behavioral specialists.
Respite care that's actually available.
Financial compensation for family caregivers.
The economic reality:
If family caregivers were paid minimum wage for care hours, it would cost $271 billion annually in the US.
Instead, families provide it for free.
Until they burn out.
Then patients go to nursing homes at $100,000+ per year.
False economy.
💬 Are you a caregiver? What's the hardest part?
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Dementia caregivers provide more that 14 hours of care a day...
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