What adverse mental and physical health concerns are experienced by family caregivers?
• Researchers studying caregivers of spouses with dementia obtained blood samples and found that a chemical call Interleukin-6 sharply increased in the blood of stressed caregivers when compared with the blood of other people of similar ages, but not living under the stress of constant caregiving. Previous studies have linked Interleukin-6 with several disease, including heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, type-2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. • Data have shown that caregivers are less likely than peers of the same age to engage in health-promoting behaviors that are important for chronic disease prevention and control. • Depressive symptoms are twice as common among caregivers as among the general population. What issues and concerns make it difficult for family caregivers to be healthy? Several actual and/or perceived barrier prevent many caregivers from engaging in health promotion and disease prevention activities. These may include: • Lack of available and access to he
