For most caregivers, time isn’t the only thing demanded of them. The person who steps in to offer care to an ill family member usually also takes on the financial burden of looking after the person. The cost of giving care is tremendous physically and emotionally for the caregiver, but it can also be overwhelming financially. Medical care is extremely expensive, and most insurance plans do not cover the many of the expenses associated with long term care of a patient.

What are some of the costs that a caregiver frequently has to cope with? Obviously, the first, and usually the largest cost are the medical bills themselves. Doctor’s visits, prescriptions, hospital stays – the person who requires the care typically only has Medicare coverage that is often inadequate to meet their needs, and the caregiver often has to step in to make up the difference. There are many other costs that may enter the picture as well, however. There is the expensive of hiring home help, adult day care, or any other supplemental care that the patient might require. There is the cost of buying any medical equipment or making changes to the home that the patient may need or that may make caring for them easier. Also important to calculate in here is the lost earnings of the caregiver. Frequently, the caregiver either has to give up their job completely, take a new job that is less demanding or move to part time work, causing a marked loss in income, all while they are having to spend more.

What can you do if this sounds like the situation you are facing? First and foremost is that you must speak up and ask for help. Although it is easy for caregivers to feel resentful of family members who are not helping with the care of a sick relative, in many cases, they are uninvolved in the care because they don’t know what to do or believe you have it all covered. Sometimes, asking for help may be all that is required – you may find that other relatives are willing and able to chip in and help take the financial burden off of you.

Of course, not all families are in the position to provide this kind of help. If yours is not, there are still some resources out there for you. First, check and see what you employer has to offer. You may be surprised to find out that many employers have programs in place to help their employees meet the costs associated with providing care, like adult day care programs and home help workers. The insurance program you receive through your job might also have some benefits that you can tap into to see you through this time.

If there aren’t any benefits at work, you may be eligible to receive aid from the state. Some states “pay” people who provide care fulltime, and some states offer grants that let you hire in extra help without any cost to you.

To receive this kind of help, however, obviously you have to know where to find it. One good place to start is to seek out the local caregivers support group in your area. There is one of these groups in almost every town, and they can give you all of the info you need about the resources available to you. If you can’t find one of these groups, ask the doctor of the person you care for if they can recommend any help, or turn to the net. There is plenty of help out there, and putting in the time do some research can relieve your emotional and financial burden.

Caregiving is extremely expensive for the caregiver – that cannot be denied. Usually, the primary caregiver also has to shoulder the burden for expenses like doctor visits, prescription costs, medical equipment, home help, adult day care, and any other need the patient has. There is also the matter that most caregivers see their income decrease as their loved ones become more and more dependant.

They may not be able to work anymore, or they may have to reduce their work hours to part time. The financial burden of caretaking is enormous, but there are other costs associated with acting as a caregiver that have to be counted as well. These costs aren’t as easy to show on a bottom line, but they are every bit as important as the financial costs – if not more so. Before you become a caregiver, or if you know someone who provides care, consider these additional burdens.

One of the biggest costs of caregiving can be the health of the caregiver. While they are busy looking after the health of their loved one, their own health may be deteriorating. Caretaking is extremely stressful and extremely time consuming, all of which can take an enormous toll on the emotional, physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing of the caretaker. As a caretaker, you may not have the time to exercise and eat properly, which of course is a burden on your physical health. But the stress itself of looking after a loved one and watching them deteriorate, while experiencing the isolation associated with being a primary caregiver can be very damaging. It is not uncommon to experience headaches, stomach problems, sleep trouble, weight changes, extreme fatigue and more. You may become depressed, feel withdrawn, feel angry, and feel alone. You may also experience forgetfulness or confusion yourself from the stress, which can be particularly troublesome when you are caring for someone with dementia.

Another cost to you as a caregiver may be personal. Acting as a primary caregiver is extremely time consuming. You will likely end up missing a lot of time with family and friends and may find it impossible to have a social life. Most caregivers have to withdraw from their careers, and if your career was very important to you, giving this up can be an enormous blow. Your world will grow smaller as a caregiver, which of course can have a tremendous impact on your overall well being.

How can you avoid these costs? Well, the honest answer is that it may be impossible to avoid them entirely. By nature, caregiving is stressful and a huge responsibility. Watching a loved one suffer is never easy, and putting your life on hold will bring on a host of emotions. But there are things you can do to mitigate your costs.

First and foremost, ask for help when you need it! Most caregivers think asking for help means they have failed. It really means just the opposite. You have to recognize that protecting your own health is something important that you do for the person you care for – if you can’t take care of them, who will? Share the burden. Ask family and friends to stop in. If they can’t, then seek out local support groups, adult day cares, and home health care services. Get a break when you need one.

Also, give yourself a break. The laundry can wait for one night. You can order a pizza instead of cooking a meal. Prioritize what you need to do, and don’t sweat the small stuff.

Caregiving costs financially and in other ways. You have to take charge of the costs so you can afford to pay the bill.