The Impact of Caregiving: 5 Changes Caregiving Can Have on Your Family Dynamic

Becoming an unpaid family caregiver for a loved one in need is not easy. Not only does it create a new commitment and set of responsibilities, but it can also drastically change family dynamics. The added stress and potential role reversals or adjustments (like flipping the typical child/parent dynamic upside down, for example), can change the daily lives of everyone in the home. But it’s not all bad either.

In this article, we’ll break down the effects you can expect to see in your family dynamic as you face the challenge of caring for a sick loved one. Let’s dive in.

5 Changes Caregiving Can Have on Family Dynamics

As you start your caregiving journey, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and struggle to see beyond the inconveniences until you fully adjust. Thankfully, there are a lot of positive changes you can look forward to as you get underway:

1. More quality time with loved ones

One of the most important and positive changes family caregiving can have on you and your family is the added quality time.

Getting time with a sick loved one, especially toward the end of life, is one of the most impactful ways caregiving can affect your family dynamics. It also tends to pull family and friends who aren’t normally around together, which has the potential to strengthen bonds and make new memories.

2. Strengthening family reliability

This may seem like a double-edged sword, but while caregiving, you tend to learn what family members and friends you can rely upon.

Seeing those family members who step up in times of need can greatly impact your relationship with them and build an unshakeable bond – even for previously strained relationships – as you create a mutual sense of respect and responsibility.
For some family caregivers, this can be a point of contention, because they find there aren’t many there when they stop and look around. If you find yourself in this camp, sign up for a free CareNav account to find local resources to help.

3. Time commitment shifts

One of the biggest challenges you’ll face as a family caregiver is the time commitment required by your new responsibilities because you don’t always know what you’re getting yourself into. Further complicating this is the fact that the things your loved one’s needs tend to shift slowly over time. These shifts can steadily eat away at the time you have for other responsibilities if you aren’t careful.

Most family caregivers have a spouse/partner, job, and/or children to care for in addition to their role as a caregiver. So while caring for your loved one is important, the impact on the remaining family and friends you have can be dramatic.

The strain on your time and energy can also cause you to miss important life events. Weddings, high school reunions, etc. Just as you would in their place, your sick loved one doesn’t want you to give up what’s important to you for them.
You are a caregiver – but you are much more than that too. If you struggle to find the balance or feel you’re letting too many important life events slip through the cracks, check out our articles about asking for help or finding respite. It can make a world of difference.

4. Finances can become strained

Another unfortunate side effect of caregiving is the additional financial strain it can put on you and your family.
From gas for errands, copays and appointments, medications, house modifications, and even parking at the hospital – all of these things can add up. To avoid the worst of it, proactive financial planning is an important part of becoming a family caregiver.

5. Hierarchy and boundaries shift

When taking care of someone who is injured or ailing, there will be a lot of thoughts and opinions on how things should be handled. Often, the thoughts and opinions come from people who expect their opinions to be honored and respected.

For the family caregiver who is doing their best to juggle advice from the loved one in need of care, their team of medical professionals, and others in their vicinity, it can feel like they are second-guessing what you’re doing despite the work you’re putting in to do right by your loved one. This can lead to anger, resentment, and many arguments.

Strains on family relationships can brutally affect the dynamic of your family long term, which is why setting boundaries early, sticking to them, and communicating clearly is an important aspect of the caregiving role.

Ways to Foster a More Positive Family Dynamic

Creating a more positive family dynamic, even if it feels out of reach, is manageable with a bit of work. Here are some ideas to help you through it:

Ask for help

As we’ve touched on in this article, feeling overwhelmed is normal and more than ok to ask for help. Tell family and friends how you’re struggling and know it’s ok to have others help you.

And when help is offered, don’t be afraid to accept it. Allow friends and family to set up things like meal trains, coordinate schedules to help get the individual to and from doctor appointments, or allow nurses or other trained healthcare providers to do the things that make you feel uncomfortable. It all plays an important role in staving off burnout and anxiety.

Don’t miss important events

As we touched on in an earlier section, avoid regret where possible. If you need to prioritize an important life event, remember the sick loved one would want you to still be living a full life and not want you suffering on their behalf. It’s okay to prioritize your own needs to find help in your family, friends, community, or local organizations if needed to stay present in your own life.

Use your resources

There are a lot of resources available to you, especially in the state of California. They are designed to help ease the financial, time, and emotional weight of becoming a family caregiver. Sign up for a free CareNav account to get immediate access to local resources.

Closing Thoughts: The Impact of Caregiving on Family Dynamics

Family caregiving can be like placing a stick of dynamite on your normal family dynamic. From role swapping (a care recipient as a child to caregiver for their parents or from spouse and partner to caregiver, for example) to financial burdens, there’s no shortage of potential sources of strain. By using your resources, communicating often, and staying ahead of the many challenges where possible, you can stave off the worst of the potential impact.
If want help finding resources, the California Caregiver Resource Centers are here to support you. We are a non-profit network of 11 Centers that support caregivers across the state of California. Every county in the state is covered.