Veterans & Their Caregivers: A

GlimpseTasi Faith C. Taitano

University of Hawaii, at Manoa

Heroes Who Beat the Odds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJUFbFh7Dx8

Who is a Veteran?Veteran is a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.

(USC : Title 38, Veterans Benefits)

Veterans are men and women who have served (even for a short time), but are not currently serving, on active duty in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or the Coast Guard, or who served in the U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II.

(United States Census Bureau)

Active Duty and

Ready Reserve

Personnel (N=2,516,3

24)

Total Force Family Status(N=2,228,348)

Periods of War World War I: June 28, 1914 – November 11,

1918 (Last WWI Veteran died in 3/2011)

World War II: December 07, 1941 – December 31, 1946

Korean War: June 27, 1950 – January 31, 1955 Vietnam War: August 5, 1964 (1961 for

Veterans who served “in country” before 1964) – May 7, 1975

Gulf War : August 02, 1990 – Date to be set Global War on Terror (OEF/OIF/OND)

Types of VeteranCombat Veteran Peacetime

Veteran

Risks of WarPhysica

l Psycho-Social

Psychological

Toxins Sleep

Deprivation Noise Injury Temperature Diet No Luxury

Trauma Combat Non-Combat

MST

Deprivation Separation

from the norm

PTSD/Anxiety

Family Disruption

Social Impairments

Financial Challenges

Unemployment

Effects of WarWWII

Noise Radiation

Hiroshima

Cold Injury Skin Cancers/Frost

bites

Mustard Gas Occupational Hazard

Korean War Cold Injury Noise Occupational

Hazards

Effects of WarVietnam War

Noise Hepatitis C Occupational Hazard Agent Orange

Exposure Prostate Cancer Parkinson’s Disease Hodgkin’s Disease

Gulf War Heat/ Sand/Dust

Particles Depleted Uranium Chemical Agent

Resistant Coating (chemical to resist corrosion)

Chemical Weapons Infectious Disease

Malaria

Elderly Veterans Kimbrell et al., (2011) reports that PTSD is more

prevalent in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans than it are in Korean and WWII veterans.

For older males the three prominent health conditions are “hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and coronary heart disease, which together were present in 37% of men.” (Steinman, et al., 2012).

For older female veterans, “the most common combination was hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and arthritis, which co-occurred in 25% of women.” (Steinman, et al., 2012).

Veterans suffer more frequently from Traumatic Brain Injury (29%), Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Diabetes (28%), and paralysis or Spinal Cord Injury (20%).

About Damn Time

for Our Vietnam Veterans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp0LYc4IHnY

Caregivers• 43.5 million caregivers for

person 50+ years of age.

• 5.5 million care for veterans from all eras.

• 70% of veteran caregivers are their spouses.

• 66% of caregivers are females.

Their Responsibilities

Shopping Food preparation Housekeeping Laundry Transportation Medication

Management

Feeding Dressing Grooming Walking/

Transferring Bathing Toileting/Diaper

Changing

Caregiver Struggles Role confusion 

Mom/Spouse Child Friend Nurse

Expectations  Expect health improvements or for the veteran to help

themselves Frustration

Lack of money Skills to effectively plan, manage, and organize their loved

one's care. Formal assistance

Veterans Benefits & eligibility requirements

Signs of Caregiver Burnout

Isolation/Withdrawal from friends & family Lose Sleep Effects of PTSD/Dementia/Medical

Conditions Belittlement

Neglecting their own health Getting sick more often

Signs of Caregiver Burnout

Loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed

Feeling blue, irritable, hopeless, and helpless Changes in appetite, weight, or both Feelings of wanting to hurt yourself or the

person for whom you are caring Emotional and physical exhaustion

Caring for the Caregiver

Self Care Practices Reconnect/Build informal & formal support

systems Learn about your loved ones medical

conditions Keep all of your healthcare appointments Eat & stay hydrated daily Take breaks in between the day Find activities you love

Reading/Writing/Sewing/Dancing

ACCEPT HELP

Caring at the Homefront

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV0pWd7x5YM

The End