Challenges of Spousal Care Givers Essay

In this generation, many older adults are experiencing long-term care challenges and depend on their family and friends for assistance. In the United States, the population of baby-boomer would triple in the next 5 decade; hence becoming a pressing issue for caregivers (Porcari, Bryant, & Comana, 2015). The rate of depression among this population is high because of their advanced ages, family caregiver gender, and spousal relationship. Whereas families who have assisted and offered emotional support to their older members with self-care tasks and household chores, family caregivers are now offering medical and healthcare at home where they navigate fragmented and complicated health care and serving in surrogacy roles bearing legal implications.Challenges of Spousal Care Givers Essay

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In this article, McGhan et al. (2013) have delved into the challenges older spousal caregivers experience while providing care for their loved one. Based on their findings, these authors have discovered that these caregivers are struggling to balance multiple morbidities. Given the advanced age of spouses they handle, the older spousal caregivers have noted that the treatment they offer could be affecting other life-limiting illness. The caregiver has the responsibility to balance the multiple morbidities of spouses and their life-limiting conditions. To this effect, McGhan et al. (2013) have reported that the caregivers have expressed frustrations when they address the life-threatening conditions without considering the morbidities. It is expected that the health professional should treat the spouse wholesomely instead of concentrating on caregiving alone. This implies the need for introducing cooperative network care delivery model which focuses on treatment responses beyond caregiving.Challenges of Spousal Care Givers Essay

1st Nursing Interventions

Effective and timely family meetings will be an essential and necessary intervention to overcome the caregiver’s concerns. This is because integrated palliative care services ensure opportunities for family-need assessment. With regular family meetings, the concerns of caregivers should be considered during the critical decision-making moments (Otis-Green & Juarez, 2012). In fact, the family meeting will help to address the social well-being of the older spousal caregivers; hence offering an opportunity for family members and professionals to customize the interventions and promote benefits after addressing the caregiver burdens.

2nd Nursing Interventions

The older spousal caregivers should be treated as co-recipient of care. This implies the society needs to introduce interventions meant to address the needs of these caregivers. For instance, the family caregivers require extra resources and preferences to accommodate their needs and the spouses needs (McGhan et al., 2013). The family needs to adjust the resources to cater for both healthcare provider and older adults. Without a doubt, limited resources would affect the delivery of quality care. In most cases, if caregivers can access sufficient resources, they can rarely experience depression and stress because their levels of satisfaction is high. Similarly, the family needs to offer medical care and appropriate health services which are in tandem to their health needs. This will keep the family caregiver healthy and productive; hence enjoy their economic freedom. Therefore, adequate resources would offer an opportunity for the caregiver and spouse to receive sufficient support.Challenges of Spousal Care Givers Essay

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Older family caregivers have been entrusted with the responsibility of caring for aged spouses and parents. Watson’s theory defines the role nurses must play including displaying unconditional acceptance, creating a caring relationship, and taking time to have caring moments with the spouse (Adventist Hinsdale Hospital, 2013; Watson, 2008). The nurse is also expected to utilize the holistic treatment approach and apply relevant knowledge and interventions meant to promote healing and health. This implies the older spousal caregiver must be utilizing the Watson’s theory and caring processes or carative factors to help spouses maintain or attain proper health.Challenges of Spousal Care Givers Essay

Conclusion

The older spousal caregivers face numerous challenges in the course of their duties. For instance, despite their advanced age, these caregivers have to shelve their personal health issues to address the needs of spouses. The spousal caregivers have to balance multiple morbidities and compromise their overwhelming and exhaustive feelings to enhance spouse care. The Watson’s theory provides the interpersonal feelings and expressions which nurses should consider while on duty. These carative factors have proved critical in addressing the needs of spouses holistically.Challenges of Spousal Care Givers Essay