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Family caregivers
Family caregivers and supporting relatives play an increasingly important role in our society. These individuals often provide round-the-clock care for their sick or dependent relatives, making an indispensable contribution to the community. Despite this enormous responsibility and the associated challenges, they are often overlooked and undervalued. How can we, as a society, create greater recognition for these selfless people and ensure they receive adequate financial compensation? And what steps can you take to protect your mental and physical health while caring for your loved ones?
The invisible heroes of everyday life
Family caregivers are the silent heroes of our daily lives. They take on a wide range of tasks, from basic care such as washing and dressing to medical care and emotional support. According to the Federal Office of Public Health, around 600,000 relatives care for and look after their family members in Switzerland.
Mental stress
This responsibility is often accompanied by considerable physical and psychological stress. Family caregivers often work to the point of exhaustion to provide their loved ones with the best possible support. This often leaves them with little time for themselves, which can lead to social isolation and psychological problems.
An article by Rebecca E. Lacey et al (2024) highlights that those who spend 20 hours or more per week caregiving, or care for someone within their own home, tend to experience a decline in their own mental health.
Tips to protect your psychological well-being
Family caregivers often make many compromises and sacrifices and put their own needs on the back burner – sometimes to the extent of neglecting themselves entirely. However, this approach is unsustainable in the long term and can, in fact, lead to psychological challenges. It's therefore extremely important for caregivers to prioritise their own well-being. If you are one of the aforementioned selfless caregivers, here are some tips to help you look after yourself and promote your own well-being despite the various challenges:
- Take your own needs seriously: Ensure that your own needs aren't overlooked. Dedicate time to hobbies, exercise and socialising to maintain balance in your life.
- Ask for and accept help: Don't hesitate to accept support from other family members, friends or professional carers. Also, take advantage of services such as outpatient care services or day care (Swiss Red Cross Canton Zug, Pro Senectute Canton Zug, Spitex Canton Zug, Neighbourhood assistance benevol Canton Zug).
- Connect with other carers: Sharing your experiences with other family caregivers can be very cathartic. Self-help groups or online forums provide valuable opportunities for dialogue and mutual support.
- A balanced diet and regular exercise: Maintain a healthy and balanced diet and exercise regularly. Both play a vital role in supporting your physical health.
- Sleep and recovery: Make sure you get enough sleep and rest. A regular sleep routine can help you to cope better with the stresses and strains of daily life.
- Professional advice: Don't hesitate to seek professional advice and support. This might include making contact with counselling centres for family caregivers, psychotherapists or pastoral workers.
- Relaxation techniques: Learn relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation or autogenic training to reduce stress and achieve inner calm.
Support and relief for family caregivers
There are various measures and programmes designed to support and ease the burden on family caregivers. Advice and information are key elements of this support. Institutions such as Caritas, the Swiss Red Cross, Pro Senectute and Spitex offer various services to support family caregivers. The website pflege-zug.ch serves as a comprehensive information platform and lists all institutions that offer services related to this topic. If you're looking for support or relief, you'll find a non-exhaustive selection of services in the canton of Zug below. We strongly encourage you to take advantage of these services. Remember, you don't have to manage everything on your own.
The Swiss Red Cross Canton Zug offers a wide range of support services, including a respite service for family caregivers. As part of this respite service, SRC carers with basic training in care and support are available to handle a variety of tasks, such as shopping, going for walks, cooking and eating together, accompanying individuals to appointments, organising excursions and much more.
Services of the Swiss Red Cross Canton Zug
Pro Senectute Canton Zug also provides relief services for family caregivers. From shopping, cooking and housework to basic care and support, their trained everyday assistance staff take on the tasks that provide the greatest help and relief during their visits.
Services of Pro Senectute Canton Zug
Spitex Canton Zug offers various care services to ease the burden on family caregivers and support their important work. These services cover the entire spectrum, from daily basic care to counselling and advanced therapeutic care.
Services of Spitex Canton Zug
Financial and legal challenges
On top of the physical and emotional demands, family caregivers often face significant financial challenges. Caring for a family member can be expensive, especially if medical equipment, special food or care aids are required.
Furthermore, many family carers are forced to reduce their working hours or leave their jobs entirely to provide care. This not only leads to a loss of income, but can also create long-term disadvantages, such as reduced pension contributions. The legal framework for supporting family caregivers is complex and often difficult to understand, adding further strain to an already challenging situation. The following section outlines a selection of financial support options available to family caregivers.
Financial compensation
According to the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, around 600,000 relatives in Switzerland care for and look after their family members, an incredible achievement. Yet, family caregivers receive no pay for their work and are often left to manage on their own. Caritas aims to change this by employing family carers at an hourly rate of CHF 35 and providing professional support. If you are caring for your loved ones, visit the Caritas website and follow their five steps to employment.
The specialised Spitex provider, solicare, also offers salaries for those caring for relatives. Additionally, solicare provides a free care course tailored to family caregivers.
Better financial support and the creation of flexible working time models for family caregivers could significantly improve their quality of life. For example, companies could make it easier to reconcile caregiving responsibilities with work obligations by introducing care time models or offering home-working arrangements. It's important to address your caregiving duties openly with your employer rather than keeping silent. This can sometimes lead to unexpected opportunities or solutions. We also recommend visiting the platform info-workcare.ch. As the first national platform dedicated to balancing a career with the demands of family caregiving, it offers valuable information, tips and contact details for carers.
Social recognition and appreciation
Another vital aspect is the social recognition and appreciation of the contributions made by family caregivers. These individuals achieve unimaginable things, yet their work is often taken for granted and remains invisible. A shift in social awareness is needed to properly acknowledge the care and support provided by family members. To help bring this about, the "Day of Caring and Supporting Relatives" on 30 October was created to turn the spotlight onto the incredible achievements of family caregivers, saying a visible thank-you for their dedication. The umbrella organisation "Interessengemeinschaft Angehörigenbetreuung" (IGAB) seeks to give caregivers in Switzerland a voice, communicate their concerns to politicians and represent their interests at the national level. The umbrella organisation's website provides a wealth of information as well as an overview of the cantons' activities on the day of action.
Conclusion
Family caregivers and supporting family members are the backbone of our care system. Their work is invaluable and deserves the highest recognition. Furthermore, it's essential that carers and family members prioritise their own well-being – only by doing so can they continue to support their relatives over the long term. This has nothing to do with selfishness – on the contrary, it's a vital aspect of proper self-care.
It's high time to make these silent heroes of everyday life visible and give them the respect and support they truly deserve. The Day of Caring and Supporting Relatives on 30 October 2024 provided a fitting opportunity to say thank you for their valuable work and indispensable service to society!
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Sources:
- Haley, W. E. & Elayoubi, J. (2024). Family caregiving as a global and lifespan public health issue. The Lancet. Public Health, 9(1), e2-e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2468-2667(23)00227-x
- Haley, W. E., Roth, D. L., Sheehan, O. C., Rhodes, J. D., Huang, J., Blinka, M. D. & Howard, V. J. (2020). Effects of Transitions to Family Caregiving on Well-Being: A Longitudinal Population-Based Study. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society, 68(12), 2839-2846. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.16778
- Lacey, R. E., Xue, B., Di Gessa, G., Lu, W. & McMunn, A. (2024). Mental and physical health changes around transitions into unpaid caregiving in the UK: a longitudinal, propensity score analysis. The Lancet. Public Health, 9(1), e16-e25. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(23)00206-2
- Day of Caring Relatives 2023 | Caritas Care. (n. d.). Caritas Care. https://www.caritascare.ch/de/tag-der-pflegenden-angehoerigen-2023/
