Coping with Caregiver Fatigue and Burnout
Being a caregiver can be an exhausting and difficult task for both family and professional caregivers. Recognizing burnout early and coping healthily is vitally important. Understanding the symptoms of burnout and developing healthy coping mechanisms can help make caregiving enjoyable and fulfilling.
Caregiving by the Numbers:
Approximately 1 in 3 adults serves as an unpaid/informal caregiver to another adult. This can be a demanding privilege and it is important to cope effectively. (WebMD)
- About 43.5 million people offer unpaid caregiving in the US
- About 15.7 million caregivers are helping someone with memory illnesses
- About 75% of caregivers are females
- About 57% of caregivers perform clinical tasks
- The average caregiver is 49 years old
- Family caregivers spend 24.4 hours caregiving a week on average
- 40% of caregivers are in high-burden situations (Caregiver.org)
Burnout Risk Factors:
- Caregiver is female
- Caregiver lives with person they are caring for
- Caregiver is socially isolated
- Caregiver has depression
- Caregiver is facing financial difficulties
- Caregiver spends majority of the time caregiving
- Caregiver didn’t have much choice in caregiving options (Mayo Clinic)
Signs of Caregiver Burnout:
Caregiver burnout is a state of exhaustion and can be physical, emotional, and/or mental. It can result in a change of attitude. Common signs are:
- Lack of energy
- Sleeping to little/ to much
- Feeling fatigued
- Sense of hopelessness, despair
- Weight loss/gain
- Loss of interest in hobbies/activities
- Neglecting one’s own needs
- Feeling like one’s life revolves around caregiving
- Growing inpatient/irritable with loved ones
- Worrying excessively about the future
- Mood swings/ depression
- Challenges coping with everyday tasks/problems
- Headaches, stomach aches, and other physical signs of stress
- Getting sick easily (Vitas)
Coping with Caregiver Burnout:
Burnout does not have to be a permanent condition. Tips to prevent and cope with burnout are listed below:
- Ask for and accept help
- Others may desire or be willing to help, even temporarily. Seek out professional caregivers for respite care and assistance in the home.
- Set realistic goals
- Understand that not all tasks can be done all of the time and consider saying “no” to extra requests and demands
- Connect with others
- Find support groups, talk with friends regularly, connect with others who can listen and understand
- Avoid common causes of burnout
- Caregiver for too many hours, not having space to process emotions, lack of sleep, and other issues are common causes of burnout. Avoid these to recover and prevent further exhaustion.
- Make time for yourself
- Make time for rebuilding and recharging. Consider scheduling time for the gym, naps, doctor appointments, and self-care. Arrange for respite care when needed. (Mayo Clinic)
Home Care Tip:
There are many options regarding care. Caregivers should not feel they are the only ones able to help a loved ones. This pressure can cause or exacerbate burnout. Involve other loved ones in caregiving and look into other options such as a private aide or adult day center. Contact Safe @ Home Senior Care to see how we can help both caregiver and loved one remain happy and healthy in their situation.
(ClearCare Monthly)