Caregiver Responses to Injury

As a caregiver, you are one of 12 million Americans spending all or part of your day assisting 5 million family members or friends who need help to remain at home.

Research indicates that caregiving individuals—especially women, who represent 75% of caregivers—experience a great deal of stress from the added responsibilities of caring for a loved one. Depression, anxiety, or other physical ailments may result from that stress.

Spousal support is recognized as an important factor in promoting ongoing health and well-being in aging individuals, whether or not they have a disability. And for people with spinal cord injuries, spouses may be the most important element in successful rehabilitation and long-term home care.

So how do you take care of you? It's imperative to understand the special stresses you are under, and how you can find ways to handle them. You may be wondering if what you're feeling is a common reaction to caregiving, or you might be seeking tips for coping. Perhaps you want to know what others have struggled with as they care for loved ones with acquired brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, burns, or amputations. Your curiosity is natural, and there is plenty of information available.