PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island is home to 79,616 veterans and their caregivers see more stress and more years of care than others, United Health Foundation said Wednesday.
“The national study shines an alarming light on the sacrifices being made by caregivers who provide care to veterans,” the foundation said in a news release. The study revealed that caregivers of veterans are predominantly women (9 out of 10) and twice as likely to be in their role for 10 years or longer.
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The caregivers are also twice as likely to be in a “high-burden” role and consider the situation “highly stressful,” according to the study, “Caregivers of Veterans-Serving on the Homefront.”
The study is based on a survey of 462 self-identified caregivers for veterans. Typical tasks for these caregivers include personal care, bathing, dressing, feeding, and helping with memory tasks for someone with a brain injury or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Veterans are much more likely to be cared for by a spouse or partner when compared to a national survey of family caregivers: 70 percent compared to 6 percent. Other comparisons show veterans’ caregivers experience higher levels of emotional stress (68 percent vs. 31 percent), physical strain (40 percent vs. 14 percent) and financial hardship (50 percent vs. 13 percent).
The study also highlighted the effect of long-term care on the caregivers themselves: 68 percent were employed and 47 percent had to take an early retirement or stop working entirely. Caregivers also reported declines in their own healthy behaviors: 69 percent said they exercised, 56 percent maintained healthy eating habits and 58 percent were able to attend their own medical appointments on schedule.
Nevertheless, United Health Foundation said 94 percent were “proud to serve.”
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