How to balance caregiving and self care: Advice from 3 Oscar Social Workers | hioscar Blog | Oscar
How to balance caregiving and self care: Advice from 3 Oscar Social Workers
We’re sharing expert advice for the 53 million Americans who are unpaid caregivers of family, friends, and neighbors.
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53 million Americans are unpaid caregivers of family, friends, and neighbors. We’re sharing expert advice for managing this important, but difficult, role – during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
When people hear the word “caregiver,” they might think of an at-home health care aide, assisting someone who can no longer take care of themselves. In fact, many Americans have taken on a caregiver role in one form or another.
For many people, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented additional challenges that require caregiver support. About 66% of people who have caregivers are aged 65 and older (opens in new tab) (a group that’s at higher risk of infection). The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (opens in new tab) recommends older adults stay home as much as possible to manage their risk. As a result, many face isolation and endure challenges accessing essential resources such as groceries. These responsibilities (and more) are often taken on by an unpaid caregiver.
Whether you’re a caregiver or someone receiving care, Oscar understands that multiple factors—such as your age, health conditions, family, community, budget, and more—go hand-in-hand with your unique health care needs. We’ve made it our mission to deliver health insurance and care that fits your life.
Along with Care Guides and a Registered Nurse, your Oscar Care Team (opens in new tab) includes licensed Social Workers dedicated to addressing our members’ roadblocks to getting care and staying healthy — and they’re available to most Oscar members at $0 as part of their insurance plan.
Oscar Social Workers often help members and their families navigate caregiving and find extra support. Sometimes Oscar Social Worker Care Managers find themselves working directly with a member’s caregiver (and authorized contact for the member’s care) to manage health care and other needs. They understand that caregiving is a tough and complex job, and an essential one. In this post, three Oscar Social Workers share their top advice for the millions of unpaid caregivers in the U.S. today.
1. Make the most of your strengths, and give yourself time develop other skills
Think of a caregiver you know. What are some of their characteristics— empathy, compassion, patience? These things can come very naturally to some people, yet they are also learned skills that can develop over time. Social Workers, for example, spend 5 to 6 years earning their degree to work in various roles across medical, mental health, and educational fields. During that time, they hone their skills and build on the characteristics of an effective caregiver.
During this pandemic, people around the world have found themselves caring for another person for the first time. It’s easy to feel unqualified or even inadequate in caring for someone, but it’s important to remember that you’re not expected to be perfect today—or any day, for that matter. Just do the best you can and be gentle with yourself.
Try sitting down and listing out your strengths that help others, and list the areas you’d like to grow in. If you’d like to be a better listener, make it a goal to ask more questions and give your full attention to responses. As reminders, you could also write things down, both for yourself and the person you’re caring for.
Let’s take a look at the example of a group that makes up the majority of unpaid caregivers: parents, who represent 1 in 3 Oscar members. Adults with children are often serving as a caregiver to an older family member at the same time. 41% of unpaid caregivers are under the age of 49, a group more likely to have children at home. On top of caregiving during the pandemic, they’re taking on more responsibility far beyond the average parenting role with kids at home around the clock, and requiring more care and attention than before. 61% of caregivers are also working, often from home, at the same time.
If you count yourself as one of these “sandwich generation (opens in new tab)” caregivers (superheroes may be a better word), we understand that you might be feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and sleep-deprived, and that you don’t have enough hours in the day. But just remember that you can take some of your learnings and characteristics you’ve developed as a parent, and apply them to your role as a caregiver, and vice versa. Again, take it easy on yourself and remember to give yourself a break when you can.
2. Set healthy boundaries
Caregiving is a selfless act, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of taking care of yourself. The majority of caregivers of adults are not having conversations about their own needs with a health care provider. In fact, when asked if these kinds of conversations would be helpful, nearly one in three (opens in new tab) adult caregivers say they would like to be asked about their needs as a caregiver, and 22% show an interest in conversations about self-care.
What’s the solution? Setting healthy boundaries and openly communicating your needs. Don’t worry about appearing selfish. Communicating your needs provides space for you to get what you need, so that you can have the energy and strength to give others what they need.
Take a moment to sit down and reflect on your needs: which ones aren’t being met, and how you can express them in a healthy way.
One key thing you shouldn’t neglect is your mental and emotional wellbeing. 13% of family caregivers experience symptoms of anxiety and depression (opens in new tab). On top of that, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our lives in many ways, leaving many experiencing anxiety and uncertainty. In a recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey (opens in new tab), 53% of U.S. adults say their mental health has been negatively impacted by the pandemic.
So don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect for others, and make time for yourself. Remember that you can only be your best self for others when you’re feeling good about yourself. You can find self-care tips and mental health resources (opens in new tab) in Oscar’s COVID-19 Resource Center.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
The most important thing to remember as a family caregiver is that you are not alone.
Although caregivers feel responsible for the person they’re caring for, you are not the only person who can provide care. Resources may be limited based on where you live, or the conditions you’re dealing with, but there are always options.
Oscar Social Workers can help you navigate complicated support program signup processes, such as for government resources. In fact, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) is legally required to support family caregivers (opens in new tab), providing resources about programs like the Administration for Community Living’s (ACL) Eldercare Locator (opens in new tab), a nationwide service that connects older Americans and their caregivers with trustworthy local support resources. As an unpaid caregiver, you might be eligible for financial assistance, such as tax credits that can help offset the many expenses that come along with caregiving.
Your Oscar Team is part of your caregiving support team
As you care for others during these difficult times, please know that there are people ready to lend you a helping hand. Through your Oscar plan, you’ve got access to some great features and benefits, including:
YourCare Team (opens in new tab) can answer your plan questions, help you navigate care, find a great doctor in your area, and more.
With ourVirtual Urgent Care (opens in new tab), you can talk with a doctor 24/7, by video chat or phone, for $0. Get a diagnosis, a new prescription or refill, and more, in as little as 15 minutes. No appointment needed, and no copays, ever.*
Caregiving goes both ways, and it’s important that the giver is also a receiver. There’s no shame in asking for help, but remember to take good care of yourself, too. We care about you and your wellbeing.
*Oscar’s Virtual Urgent Care offerings vary by market and may not be available in your service area. Oscar’s Virtual Urgent Care offerings are not available in US territories or internationally. Prescriptions, visits and services may be limited per provider discretion. Virtual Providers are employed by Oscar Medical Group and are not employed by Oscar Insurance.
