Carers face dementia toll but there's 'joy to be had'
A new survey from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare highlights the significant physical and emotional toll on dementia caregivers. Many caregivers report low wellbeing and high levels of stress, emphasizing the need for better support systems for those providing long-term care.
Why it matters
As dementia rates rise globally, the health and sustainability of the informal caregiving workforce is becoming a critical public health issue.
After a full day's work as a medical professional, Debra Graves' second shift began when she returned home to care for her husband Don. Diagnosed with dementia in 2011, the former businessman and father's condition steadily deteriorated until his death seven years later, aged 84. A leading pathologist, Dr Graves was accustomed to hard work, but the demands of her new caretaker role were exacting. Apart from the round-the-clock work, the pain of watching her husband lose himself to the disease was it's own battle. "It was heartbreaking in so far as the loved one that you knew was slipping away," she told AAP. Dr Graves' experience is reflected in the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's inaugural living with dementia survey released on Monday.
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