Two “Brain and Life” articles: One on sharing the caregiving, the other on the importance of caregivers putting their own health first

You’ll find “Brain and Life” in doctors’ offices throughout the country. I’ve been a regular contributor for a few years now and I’ve learned so much.

Here are two recent articles. Here’s the nut of the first article:

A diagnosis of a neurologic disorder is a call to action for many families.

Kathryn Pears, founder of Dementia Care Strategies in Conway, SC, says her own experience as a caregiver and advocate has shown her that “caregiving responsibilities are rife with opportunities for resentment.”

“Some families band together, establish clear areas of responsibility, and work effectively as a team, but that seems to be the exception rather than the rule,” says Pears. “In my personal and professional experience, responsibility generally falls to one family member. A common pattern seems to be, ‘You are doing such a great job of caring for the person that I get a pass.’”

And here’s the logic behind the second:

A 2015 report by the National Alliance of Caregivers and AARP found that among those caring for someone for more than five years, 20 percent reported their health to be fair or poor, compared to 14 percent of those who had been a caregiver for less than a year. A study published in the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care in 2015 found that the majority of caregivers say they don’t manage stress well. And those who also work outside the home, care for two parents simultaneously, have the least amount of outside assistance, and have spent more time as a caregiver reported more health problems and considered caregiving more burdensome.