Who cares about the caregivers?

I think this article gives an interesting perspective on the problems our society faces because of the mentally and physically handicapped. It shows us that even though the focus is usually placed on whether the handicapped have caregivers, and whether they are able to live properly, the people around them, who have to take care of them and are responsible for their well-being, are greatly affected in terms of their lifestyle too, not necessarily in good ways. It highlights the fact that those caregivers need to have emotional and maybe financial support too.

Handicapped people have much greater needs than ordinary people, hence their caregivers have a great responsibility to hold, and have to invest much of their time into taking care of the patient, and are able to spend much less time doing things they would normally be able to do, like socialise. In a certain example, giving care to a handicapped sister caused a lady to be unable to marry, and in another case, it destroyed a relationship because the caregiver's husband was too frustrated with his wife having to spend so much time on caring for the patient.

Firstly, I feel that it is definitely necessary to care for handicapped people among us, as it is a basic human right to have food, water and love, and to be able to live with dignity. However, it is also necessary to provide the adequate resources such as homes and day care centres to allow their needs to be met. Another person having to sacrifice their own happiness because of giving such care, is as much of an evil as not caring for the handicapped patient in the first place.