By Haleigh Heath
Caregiving is something everyone of us has heard of, but some of us may have not heard of the different physical and psychological effects it can have on the person providing the care. Caregiving can be very strenuous depending on the level of care the recipient requires. When someone has been a caregiver for a while, there are different things that begin to decline in their well being.
When the person receiving the care requires more attention, the physical well-being of the caretaker can begin to decline. The person can become fatigued or sick as a result of the stress of being a caregiver.
The biggest impact is most likely on the caregivers emotional well-being. The caregiver may become distressed or even experience depression during times of caregiving. The emotional toll that caregiving takes is different from person. If the caregiver is closer to the care recipient, like a spouse or child) they are more likely to experience a greater decline in their emotional well-being. A greater decline in emotional well-being has also been observed in caregivers who are dealing with individuals who suffer from dementia.