In June Marina Bastawrous, a masters degree candidate at the University of Toronto, told the Canadian Stroke Congress that adult daughters who care for a parent stroke victim are more likely to suffer from depression and its symptoms than adult sons.
Strokes can radically change the dynamic between parent and child. Bastawrous warns that dealing with a stroke can be an exceptional challenge for everyone in the family. The challenge of caring for elderly family members can bring out the best and worst in a family.
Many times the parent-child relationship is strengthened when a parent has a stroke, but it doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes the pressure of care giving and other work and family obligations can strain the bond between the parent and child.
The results of the study indicate that parents anticipated better overall mental health and more satisfaction in their children as adult caregivers. On the flip side, however, when the bond is strained even before the stroke, the relationship can become much worse.
Adult daughters who serve as caregivers tend to put more importance on family relationships than adult sons who care for their parents. As a result, daughters are more adversely affected by negative relationships.
The Future of Family Caregiving
The results of this study are important, as family caregivers are integral in the long-term care of elderly patients. More than 62% of those who care for stroke victims are adult children. However, most intervention methods are directed toward spouse caregivers.
Caring for parents who have suffered a stroke can put a significant emotional and financial strain on the children of stroke patients. Many hope that this study will encourage people to fund and support additional resources for adult children caregivers.
Experts suggest the following maybe be helpful for caregivers:
- Employers could incorporate caregiving leave for adult children into their benefits plans.
- Other family members should recognize the number of duties that a caregiver accomplishes outside of their role as a caregiver.
- Doctors and therapists should recognize that family caregivers are an essential part of the recovery care team.
