Heart Disease and Caregiving: A Two-Way Street We Need to Address

Heart Disease and Caregiving: A Two-Way Street We Need to Address

Jan. 21, 2026
Eileen Lawless, MS, MSW, CPG
Adult caregiver walking with two elderly individuals along waterfront path in autumn, holding hands for support and companionship

February is American Heart Month, a time when we typically focus on heart-healthy habits like exercise and nutrition. But there's another heart health story that deserves attention: the connection between heart disease and family caregiving.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, affecting one in every five lives. More than one-third of older adults live with some form of heart disease, such as coronary artery disease to heart failure. These conditions often require a lot of support from family and friends. Caregivers help with things from medication management and doctor's appointments to daily activities such as bathing and dressing.

Here's what many people don't realize: while caring for someone with heart disease, caregivers may be putting their own hearts at risk.

The Growing Need for Heart Disease Caregiving

Older adults with heart disease face many challenges. They're more likely to have multiple health problems, experience faster physical decline, and need help with daily tasks. As treatments improve and people live longer with heart disease, the need for family caregivers continues to grow.

Currently, about 22% of middle-aged and older Americans care for a family member or friend. Many of these caregivers support someone with heart disease. They help loved ones follow complicated medication schedules, adhere to low-sodium diets, monitor symptoms such as shortness of breath or swelling, and navigate frequent medical appointments.

This care is invaluable; family caregivers provide an estimated $61 billion worth of care to people with heart disease each year. But this contribution often comes at a steep personal cost.

The Hidden Toll on Caregivers' Hearts

Research reveals a troubling pattern: caregiving for an ill spouse significantly increases a caregiver's own risk of developing heart disease. Women who provide nine or more hours per week of care to a sick spouse have nearly twice the risk of developing coronary heart disease compared to non-caregivers. This risk remains even after accounting for factors like diet, exercise, and smoking.

Why does caregiving affect the heart? The stress of watching a loved one suffer, combined with financial pressures and the challenge of balancing work with caregiving duties, takes a physical toll. Caregivers often experience:

  • Higher rates of high blood pressure
  • Elevated stress hormones
  • Disrupted sleep patterns (37% of caregivers get insufficient sleep)
  • Less time for their own health care and preventive services

Mental health is another consideration in the caregiving-heart health equation. Fifteen percent of caregivers screen positive for depression, nearly twice the rate of the general caregiving adult population. Research shows that depression and chronic stress are associated with increased risk of heart disease. About one in seven caregivers experience frequent mental distress, reporting 14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month.

Perhaps most telling: caregivers are more likely than non-caregivers to have two or more chronic diseases themselves. Many are managing their own health conditions while caring for someone else.

Breaking the Cycle

This creates a troubling cycle: people develop heart disease, family members provide care, and those caregivers then face increased risk for the very condition they're helping to manage.

Breaking this cycle starts with caregivers recognizing they are at risk and need support too. If you're caring for someone with heart disease, it's important to:

  • Talk to your own doctor about your caregiving responsibilities and ask to be screened for depression, anxiety, and cardiovascular risk factors
  • Recognize warning signs in yourself, including persistent chest discomfort or shortness of breath, extreme fatigue that doesn't improve with rest, feelings of depression or anxiety that interfere with daily life, or inability to keep up with your own medical appointments
  • Ask for help from other family members, friends, or professional care services
  • Connect with caregiver support resources that understand the unique challenges of caring for someone with heart disease

Remember: taking care of your own health isn't taking time away from your loved one; it's ensuring you'll be healthy enough to continue providing care.

Defining Self-Care in Your Caregiving Journey

Proper self-care for each caregiver means engaging in practices that keep them physically and emotionally healthy enough to continue caring.

Self-care for caregivers includes:

  • Physical health: Keeping your own medical appointments, taking prescribed medications, eating regular meals, and getting adequate sleep
  • Mental health: Recognizing when you feel overwhelmed, talking with someone about your stress, seeking professional support when needed, and utilizing ComPsych EAP assistance.
  • Practical support: Identifying which caregiving tasks you can delegate or share with others, and accepting help when it's offered
  • Boundary setting: Learning to say no to additional responsibilities that stretch you too thin, and protecting time for activities that restore your energy

As caregiving can be overwhelming, responsibilities can feel all-consuming, and it's hard to step back and assess what is needed. That's where one-on-one support can make a difference. A personalized caregiving consultation can help:

  • Define your caregiving role and responsibilities
  • Create a realistic self-care plan that fits your situation
  • Connect with community resources and support services
  • Develop strategies for self-care, work, and caregiving

HR Life & Work Connections' dependent care services offer confidential consultations tailored to family caregivers navigating the challenges of supporting someone while protecting their own well-being*.

Support for Both Patients and Caregivers

Organizations such as the American Heart Association and the Caregiver Action Network also offer specialized resources to help caregivers navigate the challenges of supporting someone with heart disease while protecting their own health. Some cardiac rehabilitation programs even welcome caregivers to participate in education sessions about healthy eating, stress management, physical activity, and mental health support.

This American Heart Month, let's expand our definition of heart health to include those who care for people with cardiovascular disease. Supporting caregivers isn't just compassionate, it's a public health necessity. As our population ages and more people live longer with heart disease, we'll need healthy, supported caregivers to help them thrive.

If you're a caregiver, remember that taking care of your own heart isn't selfish. It's essential. You can't pour from an empty cup, and protecting your health means you'll be there for your loved one for the long haul.

Resources for Heart Disease Caregivers

 These organizations offer education, support, and practical tools:

*University of Arizona employees and students: Request an adult and older adult caregiving one-on-one consultation or call 520-621-9870. Consultations are free, confidential, and available to you as often as needed.