JUST THE FACTS FRIDAY

How people like you view caregiving issues

We recently asked over 500 caregivers to tell us about their caregiving experiences. Here is some of what they told us in our Caring Today/CVS/pharmacy Family Caregiver Insights Study: Well-Being and Care Management.

Biggest Initial Reactions
When you first realized you were a caregiver, in addition to concern for the person, you remember feeling:

• 43% Overwhelmed
• 34% Fear
• 31% Inadequacy

However, after becoming a caregiver, fewer of you felt overwhelmed than anticipated. And even if you said you felt unprepared, you told us that the actual experience turned out to be better than expected.

Where You First Turned for Help

• 58% Family
• 45% Doctors
• 38% Internet
• 28% Friends

The majority agrees that doctors understand well the role of caregivers.

Primary Concern: Medications
The vast majority-87%-feels that understanding medications is very important. But you also expressed these major concerns:

• 26% Don't know how drugs interact
• 21% Are not able to recognize side effects
• 17% Don't know what questions to ask

Where Do You Get Medication Information?

• 69% Talk to doctors
• 55% Research on the Internet
• 50% Read product information
• 46% Talk with the pharmacist

However, even though you said doctors are the biggest help in easing concerns about medications...42% said you'd like even more time with the doctor.

Expectations vs. Experience

• 46% thought they'd enjoy tasks associated with caregiving, but
• 69% found that they actually did enjoy them

• 60% expected to find caregiving rewarding, but
• 79% really did find the experience rewarding

Immediate Needs
What was your most immediate need once you assumed the role of caregiver?

• 37% Establishing life balance among caregiving, family, career and personal needs
• 20% Knowing what to do next
• 19% Needing to understand medical information

Lifestyle & Health
Since becoming a caregiver, what feelings or actions have increased?

• 59% Quality of relationship with the person I care for
• 41% Being organized
• 33% Feeling focused

However, four in 10 caregivers also report increased feelings of depression and three in 10 think that their health condition has deteriorated since becoming a caregiver.