Health. Fatigue, anxiety… almost one in two caregivers say they are affected

You may be affected. Nearly half of people helping seniors over 60 who are losing their independence report consequences on their own physical and mental health, according to a study published Wednesday, a few days before the planned National Carers’ Day. Sunday.

Some 3.9 million people help a loved one aged 60 or over at home, according to the CARE-Ménages survey carried out in 2015 by the Department of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (Drees).

Fatigue, sleep problems, anxiety…

In total, 47% of these caregivers say that their health suffers: 19% report at least one consequence on their physical health (physical fatigue, sleep problems, back problems or palpitations) and 37% at least one consequence on their health. mental health (moral fatigue, loneliness, feeling depressed, anxious).

According to the study, caregivers report suffering more consequences if the relationship with the person being cared for is close (spouses or children), if the person being cared for has cognitive disorders and if they live with them.

The consequences are also more serious if the caregivers carry out varied tasks with the senior and if they “have the impression of making sacrifices, of lacking time, respite and training”, indicates the Drees.

Non-helping relatives also affected

Another situation studied by the Drees, that concerning seniors cohabiting with a person losing their autonomy.

Whether they say they are caregivers or not, these seniors report being in poor or very poor health twice as often as other seniors (24% versus 12%). 35% say they are in a state of psychological distress and 39% have used an anxiolytic or antidepressant medication at least once during the year.

“These results suggest that having a loved one losing autonomy could not only affect the health of caregivers, but also that of all those who live with them, even if they do not declare that they provide help,” notes the Drees.