Caregiving is a rewarding job, but also a demanding one. As a result, those caring for family members or loved ones must pay close attention to their own well-being to prevent caregiver fatigue and burnout.
Awareness Is the First Step in Avoiding Caregiver Burnout
According to The National Alliance For Caregiving (NAC), nearly 53 million people in the United States provide care for someone else, and 21% of those are spouses or family members who provide caregiving services without financial compensation or adequate time off. This is a recipe for caregiver fatigue which can quickly lead to burnout.
Caregiver burnout occurs when the demands of caregiving lead to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. In addition to causing physical and emotional breakdowns for the caregiver, it also diminishes the quality of care provided to their loved one.
Common Signs of Caregiver Burnout
Signs you’re developing caregiver burnout include:
- Constantly feeling tired or emotionally rundown
- Irritability, anger, or mood swings
- Withdrawing from regular social engagement, appointments, events, or things that interest you
- Insomnia or sleeping too much
- Difficulty focusing or making decisions
- Forgetting (or skipping) your own appointments
- Depression
- Resentment
- Changes in appetite or weight
- Thoughts or feelings of wanting to harm the one you’re caring for or neglecting them because you’re overwhelmed
These are all completely normal for any caregiver who doesn’t have the help and support they need but should be addressed immediately.
Risk Factors for Developing Caregiver Burnout
You are more prone to developing caregiver burnout if you:
- Live with the person you care for
- Are female
- Are currently depressed or have a history of depression/anxiety
- Are a caregiver more than 32 to 40 hours a week
- Have financial difficulties (click here to learn more about how to get compensated for being a caregiver for a spouse or family member)
- Are not part of a caregiving team
- Are socially isolated
How to Avoid or Stop Burnout in Its Tracks,
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to protect yourself from developing caregiver burnout.
1. Create a long-term care plan (including support services) with your family.
Nobody should have to go through this alone. No matter where you are in the caregiving journey, schedule a family meeting and create a long-term plan that addresses how the family will support you as the primary caregiver.
Ideas include:
- Scheduling specific time frames for family members to take over so that you can have a break (called respite care).
- Reach out to local home care agencies to learn more about their services so you know who to engage when caregiving becomes more demanding.
- Learning more about the senior care support options in the Inland Empire, such as Meals on Wheels, senior center-based events, outings, transportation services, etc.
- Having different family members rotate caregiving shifts when you need weekends off or longer-term vacation time.
- Creating a “backup caregiver list” to ensure you can maintain your regularly scheduled appointments, social outings, meetings, religious/spiritual services, etc.
- Pooling resources to develop a comprehensive plan to fund care needs as the situation progresses.
Ultimately, you do not need to go this alone. There are so many options to ensure you’re nourished, rested, and inspired to keep doing the great work you’re doing without breaking down or burning out. The key is being your own advocate.
2. Ask for help before you need it.
Caregivers tend to wait too long to ask for help. Then, by the time they do, they’re either already suffering from caregiver burnout or are so frustrated they have difficulty asking graciously for help from those around them.
Notice the long-term care plan referenced above has lots of space for others to take over some of the lighter lifting. This is intentional. The more others are already engaged and familiar with the household’s daily routine, the easier it is to feel comfortable asking them for support and knowing all will go well without you there.
3. Take advantage of professional respite care services
Often, there isn’t enough family close by to help with caregiving. Or, perhaps the family members or friends regularly scheduled for a respite shift are ill or have something else planned on a particular day. This is where professional respite care services come into play.
Respite care services provide professionals who step in to allow the primary caretakers the well-deserved breaks they need. You can set up respite care services for a certain number of hours every week, on designated weekends, or when you take a long vacation. The amount of time you need is entirely up to you.
4. Boost your mood with positive affirmations.
You are doing a fantastic job, but it’s easy to lose sight of that when you’re in the midst of heavy caregiving demands. Positive affirmations and reminders are just the things to keep you focused on the heart and soul of the matter.
Use post-it notes to stick positive messages on windows or mirrors you frequently see throughout the day with statements like, “You’re doing a great job!” or “I’m doing the best I can and I’m proud of my strength!” Acknowledging the challenging nature of the work as well as your ability to handle it will keep you on a positive path.
5. Leverage the power of nature.
The Inland Empire benefits from a Mediterranean climate that allows us to get outside year-round, so tap into nature’s healing and restorative power. Try to get outside and take a walk or do some stretching for at least 10 minutes each day.
If you take advantage of respite care, consider meeting a friend for a picnic or taking a hike at one of our many gorgeous parks, such as Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park, Fairmount Park, Sycamore Canyon, or Covina Park. You’ll come back feeling refreshed and ready to meet what comes next.
Learn More About Families Choice Respite Care Services
Are you feeling on the verge of caregiver burnout? Do you sense that your duties are depleting you more than they used to? If yes, you probably need a break.
Families Choice Home Care offers high-quality respite care services at affordable prices. Click below to learn more!
