I just got back from visiting my father and step-mom in a nearby state. My dad had covid in the hospital and has become bed-bound and needing complete care. Watching my step-mom struggle to meet his needs brought home to me in a personal way the importance of these unrecognized heroes, family caregivers. They work without pay and often without thanks in a never-ending job.
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Avoiding caregiver burnout is a key consideration for those who work professionally or care for loved ones. In addition to advocating for the needs of our clients, the Care Coordination team at Burzynski Elder Law often turns our focus to the caregivers with whom we communicate. A caregiver is often a spouse or adult child who assists with tasks ranging from meal preparation and medication management to physically assisting their loved one with activities of daily living, including bathing, dressing, and grooming.
Sometimes, caregiving involves concern over the aging loved one’s well-being and checking to ensure this loved one is okay. Caregivers provide this support out of love, respect and a sense of duty, but the physical toll and mental stress caregiving has on the caregiver is often underestimated. It is important to identify and address the risks and prioritize self-care to avoid caregiver burnout.
Caregiver burnout and stress can result in one feeling overwhelmed or constantly worried, feeling tired often, sleeping too little or too much, becoming easily irritated, or losing interest in activities one used to enjoy. It may result in physical changes, including weight changes, physical pain in the body, or developing new, unhealthy behaviors, like smoking or drinking too much.
Many in caregiving roles will not admit to the stress level involved; however, almost everyone who works with older adults can identify the signs of caregiver stress, which is important in avoiding caregiver burnout.
Some helpful tips for avoiding caregiver burnout:
- Get the rest you need and deserve! Be sure to get adequate sleep and “you time.” Make the time to exercise, medicate, or do tasks that bring you joy outside of your role as a caregiver.
- Ask for help. It is okay to reach out for help before you get overwhelmed and burnt out. Remember, you deserve a break, too. This can be through friends, family, or professionals like a respite in a senior living environment or companion care through a home health agency. In my step-mother’s case, a big part of the solution was triggering the long-term care insurance policy to get paid caregivers to help her with care for Dad.
- Join a support group or seek one-on-one support. It may be helpful to know you are not alone in what you are going through. Support groups can help you learn from others in similar situations. One-on-one counseling or therapy can help manage how you are feeling.
Remember that if you do not take care of your own needs, it is very likely that you will get sick and unable to help at all. Then your loved one will be much worse off than if you had taken the time to rest and meet your own care needs.
If you or anyone you know is struggling as a caregiver, our office may be a great resource to help navigate the options to ensure your loved one is getting the best care and you have the resources to maintain your health and well-being as a caregiver. Call us today at 239-434-8557 to begin the process to get assistance you need.