{"id":998,"date":"2020-06-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-02T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/synergyhomecare.com\/tx-north-houston-77014\/2020\/06\/02\/why-understanding-caregiver-diversity-matters\/"},"modified":"2020-06-02T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-06-02T00:00:00","slug":"why-understanding-caregiver-diversity-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/synergyhomecare.com\/tx-houston-77014\/knowledge-center\/why-understanding-caregiver-diversity-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"Why understanding caregiver diversity matters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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When thinking of caregivers, you may picture a female around 20-30 years old, assisting an elderly person. While this isn\u2019t an inaccurate assumption, it isn\u2019t quite fair. Today, more and more people are taking on the role of \u2018caregiver.\u2019 Whether they are caregivers of family members or by professional employment, people of a different race, age and gender are contributing to this role of service. Caregivers are daughters, wives, husbands, sons, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, partners and friends.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In small doses, caretaking jobs are manageable. But many caregivers are trying to balance the demands of caregiving with the demands of their own lives \u2013 which can be extremely challenging and stressful. And different caregivers can face different challenges. <\/span>
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<\/span>Imagine caring for an individual daily who did not understand or respect the importance of your dress and what it represents to you, why you adhere to specific food restrictions, or that your religious\/holiday celebrations are different. A lack of respect and understanding might increase feelings of isolation, loneliness and depression in a role that is already susceptible to these feelings.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Cultural background exerts a significant influence on caregivers\u2019 attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. In working with caregivers, practitioners should consider the cultural values, norms and beliefs that shape the meanings caregivers assign to the elder\u2019s illness. Other considerations are who should assume the caregiver role and ways culture influences perceptions of that role.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n
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Why is Understanding the Diversity of Caregivers Important?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the past, <\/span>caregiver research<\/span><\/a> has centered around Caucasian caregivers. Without inclusive research, adequate support cannot be provided to caregivers on an individual level. Nearly 30% of caregivers self-identify as a racial or ethnic minority. As this number grows in the coming decades, more research and resources will be needed to provide quality support to all caregivers \u2013 not just some.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCultural background exerts a significant influence on caregivers\u2019 attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. In working with caregivers, practitioners should consider the cultural values, norms and beliefs that shape the meanings caregivers assign to the elder\u2019s illness. Other considerations are who should assume the caregiver role and ways culture influences perceptions of that role.\u201d\u00a0 \u2014<\/span>Today\u2019s Geriatric Medicine<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Because people of different cultures are shaped with different attitudes and expectations, one 20-year-old female may experience the role of a caregiver very differently than other 20-year-old females. Some people may see caregiving as a role that they did not want to be thrown into while others feel deeply committed to providing that service for a family member. This is just one example of how different people are impacted by the role. To be able to provide quality support to caregivers, it is important to understand that caregivers are made of different age groups, ethnicities and religious backgrounds. Some are non-English speaking and some are impoverished. Some are older men who do not like to ask for help. Some are young women who are expected to take on a role they don\u2019t want. <\/span>
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Caregiver.org<\/span><\/a> breaks down some diversity statistics of caregivers in the United States that sheds some light on the reality for caregivers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n