Caring through Graphic Medicine

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundHumanity is developed with language and memory. Memory gives us personality, emotional intelligence, family relations, and community. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. There is a notion that caregiving for patients is the primary responsibility of female family members.Certainly, caregiving has been associated with women, at least since it was incorporated into the emerging feminine sphere of domesticity in nineteenth‐century notions of gendered separate spheres.Physical nature of female and emotional strength are also centered on caring. All over the world women are the predominant providers of informal care for family members with chronic medical conditions or disabilities, including the elderly and adults with mental illnesses. It has been suggested that there are several societal and cultural demands on women to adopt the role of a family‐caregiver. Many theories propose that women are more likely to be exposed to caregiving stressors.This study explores how challenges of care giving Alzheimer/Dementia patients affect the caregiver especially female care givers in multiple perspectives. The activity of care giving involves economic, social and psychological impact not only on the care recipient but also the care giver, who devotes the entire period of care giving sacrificing the personal needs and ambitions.MethodPrimary data were collected from caregivers located in different parts of India.Secondary data from Govt agencies were also used for analysis. Wherever possible case studies were conducted and also personal interviews with family members. Analysis was effected through SPSS with relelevant inputs.ResultPost Covid caregiving has become a challenging task for caregivers especially female caregivers throughout the world.As there was slowdown in economic activity, challenges commuted in terms of finance,emotions and moral support.ConclusionThere is a need for understanding the issues involved in caregiving and appropriate steps are to be initiated for provision of adequate support from the Govt and also the social responsibility has to be properly propogated among all sections of the society.