Electronic letters to:

Research:
Eva Grunfeld, Doug Coyle, Timothy Whelan, Jennifer Clinch, Leonard Reyno, Craig C. Earle, Andrew Willan, Raymond Viola, Marjorie Coristine, Teresa Janz, and Robert Glossop
Family caregiver burden: results of a longitudinal study of breast cancer patients and their principal caregivers
CMAJ 2004; 170: 1795-1801 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]
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[Read eLetter] Caregivers: chronic versus terminal illness
Julie Righter   (25 June 2004)

Caregivers: chronic versus terminal illness 25 June 2004
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Julie Righter
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Re: Caregivers: chronic versus terminal illness

julie.righter{at}utoronto.ca Julie Righter

We don’t even think about caregivers being harmed unless the diagnosis is a communicable disease. But clearly, the health risk to bystanders requires far more attention; Grunfeld et al* document the substantial psychological impact on caregivers of people with terminal illness.

But there is a much larger group, the family of people with chronic, non-terminal illness. The daily impact on the husband of someone with minimal impairment due to MS is small, but how does this add up over 30 years? He suffers from fear, frustration, sadness and anger, all of which he conceals from his usual supporter. Nor does he seek support from another, because he would feel guilty about “complaining”. Unfortunately, buried feelings inevitably cause problems, sooner or later: depression, anxiety, back pain, substance abuse, road rage, etc.

Over many years of psychotherapy practice with chronic illness patients, time and time again I hear “I have health problems, but I’m managing….but my partner, he is so depressed” or, “all he does is yell, our life has become terrible even though I am coping with my illness fairly well”. Vital relationships are eroded, sometimes destroyed.

Over 15% of the population suffers from a chronic illness such as MS, lupus, Hepatitis C, diabetes, etc., each having at least two people close enough to be impacted. The cumulative toll of psychological distress is colossal, much of it could be alleviated, some of it could be prevented. Research in this area is long overdue.

Julie Righter, MD Physician Psychotherapist

* Grunfeld E et al. Family caregiver burden: results of a longitudinal study of breast cancer patients and their principal caregivers. CMAJ 2004; 170:1795-1801.

Conflict of Interest:

None declared