By Kathryn Arbour
The latest statistics on this phenomenon come from a study done in 2005. A staggering 1.4 million children were identified at the time, or three percent of the American population. Those close to the issue suspect the numbers are actually higher and will grow as shorter hospitalizations, aging at home and the tough economy make even more demands on families.
In a February 23, 2009 article, The New York Times reported that other countries count caregivers of all ages in their census. The 2010 U.S. Census does not have a clear category for such a count. That said, awareness of the issue of children as caregivers is growing, especially among not-for-profit community-based organizations, such as United Way and local MS groups.
The American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) is modeled after some successful programs in the U.K and Australia that include caregiving kids as “at risk” in their approach. While not all children resist the role of caregiver – in fact, some relish it and thrive with the responsibility -, there are plenty of situations where the strains on both children and parents (or other adults who rely on kids in these ways) are unbearable. Secrecy is a common denominator in families where a child is a primary caregiver. Fear of intervention by Child Protection Services or other agencies keeps all parties silent. In some cases, however, schools and the children themselves blow the whistle. AACY wants to help in a proactive way before situations get extreme by making the responsibilities appropriate. Connecting families to other services and options can be a collaborative effort among health care providers, local support groups and other caregiving organizations.
As the issue gets uncovered in the press and among bloggers , options will increase for kids who are caregivers. In the meantime, AACY offers some tips for adults and children alike:
- Reduce stress by incorporating one or two several techniques every day.
- Contact AACY or another local support organization to talk over the situation with a neutral third party.
- Look for caregiving options. There are a number of helpful professionals and websites that can help generate alternative approaches, including Toghers.com and Caring.com.
Karen Harwood, project coordinator of The Caregiving Youth Project in Florida observes that “we can’t change the situation for a lot of kids, but we can help them through it.”
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Kathryn Arbour writes and speaks on a variety of health related topics including, aging, caregiving, disabilities, independent living and mobility products. Find more of her articles at Examiner.com
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