Women's feelings of 'guilt' delay important care decisions

Women are feeling the strain of being solely responsible for the care of their relatives.

One in three women said that caring for a relative has caused a strain on their relationships and two fifths felt fully responsible for finding a care home for their loved ones, a recent survey by Bupa has revealed.

The results show that women feel a ‘sense of duty’ when making decisions about the care of relatives, resulting in a delay in decisions about the care of older relative. The stress is having implications on the health and well-being of the women making decisions.

Managing director of Bupa Care Services, Andrew Cannon said: “We know women are usually the main carers in families and we regularly see daughters, wives and sisters in emotional turmoil because they know they need more support to look after a loved one but don’t know where to turn.”

The Office for National Statistics revealed that in 2011 almost 60 per cent of women provided unpaid care within England compared to at least 40 per cent of men and similar figures were found within Wales.

The study by Bupa indicated that one-third of women found that caring for a relative has caused a strain on personal relationships and almost two-thirds of women have considered delaying finding a suitable care home as they feel a ‘duty’ to look after their families.

Mr Cannon continued: “They have done a remarkable job in caring up to that point, but the stress has taken its toll on their wider lives. Often they turn for help only at a time of crisis.

“That’s why it’s vital not to let a sense of duty get in the way of important decisions about care. Delays can be unhelpful for the older person being cared for, but it can also have an impact on health, family life and affect people’s wider relationships at work and home.”

The results of the survey indicate the decision of finding a care home for a relative is being side-lined as women are taking responsibility for their care with more than one-third admitting that they were experiencing a negative effect on their own health as a result.

Women were revealed to be 30 per cent more likely to experience feelings of guilt about putting a relative into a care home than men facing the same decision.

Bupa has produced a ‘care journey guide’ for all those needing advice and guidance on the care options available for older people. The advice includes, trying to create a care plan as early as possible whilst taking into account each older relatives’ individual needs and seek advice from a friend or a professional.