一个日益增长的现象，青年照顾者需要认可，支持
By Tate Gunnerson, American Heart Association News
当当时还是大学生的卢米埃尔·罗斯蒂克得知他们的祖父, who had dementia, needed help, Rostick volunteered to move in with him.
Rostick, whose pronouns are they/them/their, 在偏远的大学上课，课间帮祖母打扫卫生和做饭, as well as feed, 给爷爷穿衣服，给爷爷换衣服——这只是爷爷众多责任中的一部分.
Rostick was not alone. 事实上，数以百万计的看护人还没有高中毕业.
According to a National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP survey, there are at least 3.4 million caregivers under the age of 18 nationwide.
Those numbers are likely an underestimate, said Connie Siskowski, a nurse and researcher who founded the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY)是一家总部位于佛罗里达州的非营利组织，为青少年看护人提供支持.
In fact, AACY says in Florida alone, nearly 300,000名中学生和高中生提供某种形式的照顾.
西斯科夫斯基说:“照顾孩子的年轻人并不在人们的关注范围之内。. “他们所做的事情都是关起门来的，所以看不见，不去想."
她说，阿片类药物危机和COVID-19大流行导致了更多的单亲和单亲家庭, which can "push caregiving down to the children."
即使是那些有能力雇佣额外帮手的家庭, being a young caregiver can take a toll, Siskowski said, and the added stress can negatively impact health, resulting in headaches, stomach problems and an inability to focus on school.
“当你处于极度紧张的时期，你几乎不可能学习，”她说. “他们比那些不是照顾者的同龄人更焦虑和抑郁."
In fact, a study funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 发现22%的年轻人辍学是为了照顾家庭成员.
决心减轻棕榈滩县青少年看护人员的负担, AACY提供从六年级到高中为期六周的技能培养课程, along with home visits, recreational activities, tutoring, mentoring and other services.
"It depends on their needs," Siskowski said. "It's a holistic approach. We try to provide respite that is youth-directed. 这可能意味着一个家庭健康助手，送家庭餐，甚至是家庭清洁."
More work is needed, Siskowski said, to identify and provide support for young caregivers, both emotionally and financially. 她认为，提供这样的支持将带来立竿见影的投资回报.
Indeed, 美国劳工统计局(Bureau of Labor Statistics)报告称，高中毕业生的年收入超过8美元,平均每年比没有学位的人多挣1万美元.
Unlike many young caregivers, Rostick's grandparents, Georgia and Bobby Philpot, 是否有资源在需要时提供额外的帮助. Nearby family members also provided support. In addition, Georgia is a retired nurse.
"It wasn't all on me, but it still felt heavy," said Rostick, 他们22岁时搬到格里芬和祖父母住在一起, Georgia, for eight months until their grandfather's death in 2020.
"There were moments that were hard, 但这是我和他建立联系的美好时光，我以前从未有过这样的时光," they said. “这是我的选择，我很高兴."
With the proper support, 西斯科夫斯基认为，看护可以对年轻人的生活产生积极影响, 提供目标感，帮助他们更好地管理沙巴足球体育平台, empathy and other life skills.
"These are amazing young people," she said. "Supporting them is really valuable all the way around, for both the children, their families and society."
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