November is National
Caregivers month. While many people recognize that women are the
nation's caregivers, few realize the impact it has on the quality
of their lives, especially in regard to health and financial
stability.
As caregivers, women
provide a valuable, unpaid service not only to those they care
for, but to the society as a whole. Unfortunately, women's caregiving
roles severely impact not just their financial security, but their
emotional and physical well-being. The pressures of caregiving
are great, and without needed support and respite, women are at
high risk for emotional stress and physical injury. In fact, two
out of three caregivers report poor health.
As a member of Greater
Boston OWL, The Voice of Mid-life and Older women, I believe we
need to recognize America's caregivers for their contribution
to society. It is critical that such recognition focus on efforts
to address the health and financial implications of caregiving.
The need for caregivers will only increase in the coming years.
As is often said, America is aging.
The United States now
has over 50,000 elders over the age of 100. Many of their caregivers
are women in their 70's and 80's; who are also caring for their
spouse or companion. These caregivers are spending life savings
to offer this care. Many have chronic illnesses themselves. Caregiving
can leave them both ill and poor.
It is time our nation
recognize the invaluable caregiving contributions of women by
implementing policies and programs that protect their health and
financial well-being. It is past time to support and enhance respite
care and additional home health care and other programs that will
aid the caregiver. These programs are not handouts, but services
exchanged for services rendered.
Editor's Note:
In this Thanksgiving and Holiday season, it is appropriate to
find those neighbors and acquaintances who are involved in a caregiving
role. Extend a hand to help in a task that is becoming much more
common and might someday be yours, if it isn't already.
Betty
Soldz is an author, educator and consultant in the field of aging.
She facilitated workshops and discussion groups for the University
of California Berkeley Retirement Center. Betty is one of the co-authors
of Wise
Choices Beyond Midlife: Women Mapping the Journey Ahead.
She is Past-President of OWL/CA (Voices of Mid-life and Older Women)
and is Chairperson of 50+ and Strong: An Alliance for Women's Health. For
the past 11 years, Betty volunteered with the California Health
Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) of Legal Assistance
for Seniors and is active in the struggle to protect Medicare and
Social Security. She is now Newsletter Editor and a member
of the Coordinating Committee of Greater Boston OWL and volunteers
with the Friendship Circle Program of SHOWA College, helping visiting
Japanese women students experience "real" American life. Betty
can be contacted at: Milbet@aol.com.
