Most carers suffer stress, anxiety

Most carers suffer stress, anxiety

The vast majority of people who become carers for their relatives suffer from anxiety and stress, the results of a new study indicate.

Spanish researchers questioned 203 people whose only requirement was to be the informal carer of a dependent older person. They found that in most cases, families, particularly daughters, take on this role when needed.

The study revealed that eight in 10 carers suffered from anxiety and stress, irrespective of social and demographic factors and in some cases, this situation created inappropriate behaviour in the relationship.

The negative effects experienced by the carer were highly related to the previous life history between the caregiver and care recipient, the social isolation felt by the caregiver and the feeling of loneliness in the relationship with the care recipient.

“The fact is that the relationship between informal caregiver and care recipient is not an innocuous relationship, but it is full of effects, sometimes harmful, for the caregiver’s physical and psychological health,” the researchers from the University of Granada said.
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