Seniors 85 or older are the fastest growing group, reports Sing Tao Daily. Enjoying a longer lifespan means the costs for senior care will continue to increase and the needfor senior caregivers, who usually are the children or the spouses of the senior, are also on the rise. However, statistics show that 50 percent of senior caregivers show signs of depression, reflecting the burden of the increasing lifespan of seniors and pressure on their patients’ families. Seventy-five percent of caregivers are females, with one-third of them taking care of their children as well. Only 35 percent of them get support from their workplace in caring for seniors, and almost one-third need to adjust their schedules or take time off from work to care for a parent(s). Most caregivers don’t receive professional nursing training or get enough support from the family or society, reports Sing Tao Daily. Caregivers’ health is often at risk, experiencing problems with sleeplessness, headaches, anxiety, decreasing immunity, and the increasing possibility of chronic diseases and suffering accidents.
