Caregiver Stress and Burnout. 6 Helping Tips
Dealing with caregiver stress & burnout tip 1: Ask for help
Taking on all of the responsibilities of caregiving without regular breaks or assistance is a surefire recipe for burnout. Do not try to do it all alone. Look into respite care. Or enlist friends and family who live near you to run errands, bring a hot meal, or “baby-sit” the care receiver so you can take a well-deserved break.
Tips for getting the caregiving help you need:
- Speak up. Do not expect friends and family members to automatically know what you need or how you are feeling. Be up front about what is going on with you and the person you are caring for. If you have concerns or thoughts about how to improve the situation, express them—even if you are unsure how they will be received. Get a dialogue going.
- Spread the responsibility. Try to get as many family members involved as possible. Even someone who lives far away can help. You may also want to divide up caregiving tasks. One person can take care of medical responsibilities, another with finances and bills, and another with groceries and errands, for example.
- Set up a regular check-in.Ask a family member, friend, or volunteer from your church or senior center to call you on a set basis (every day, weekly, or how ever often you think you need it). This person can help you spread status updates and coordinate with other family members.
- Say “yes” when someone offers assistance. Do not be shy about accepting help. Let them feel good about supporting you. It is smart to have a list ready of small tasks that others could easily take care of, such as picking up groceries or driving your loved one to an appointment.
- Be willing to relinquish some control. Delegating is one thing. Trying to control every aspect of care is another. People will be less likely to help if you micromanage, give orders, or insist on doing things your way.
Dealing with caregiver stress & burnout tip 2: Give yourself a break
As a busy caregiver, leisure time may seem like an impossible luxury. But you owe it to yourself—as well as to the person you are caring for—to carve it into your schedule. Give yourself permission to rest and to do things that you enjoy on a daily basis. You will be a better caregiver for it.
There is a difference between being busy and being productive. If you are not regularly taking time-off to de-stress and recharge your batteries, you will end up getting less done in the long run. After a break, you should feel more energetic and focused, so you will quickly make up for your relaxation time.
- Set aside a minimum of 30 minutes every day for yourself. Do whatever you enjoy, whether it’s reading, working in the garden, tinkering in your workshop, knitting, playing with the dogs, or watching the game.
- Find ways to pamper yourself. Small luxuries can go a long way in relieving stress and boosting your spirits. Light candles and take a long bath. Ask your hubby for a back rub. Get a manicure. Buy fresh flowers for the house. Or whatever makes you feel special.
- Make yourself laugh. Laughter is an excellent antidote to stress—and a little goes a long way. Read a funny book, watch a comedy, or call a friend who makes you laugh. And whenever you can, try to find the humor in everyday situations.
- Get out of the house. Seek out friends and family to step in with caregiving so you can have some time away from the home.
- Visit with friends. If it is difficult to leave the house, invite friends over to visit with you over coffee, tea, or dinner. It is important that you interact with others.
Dealing with caregiver stress & burnout tip 3: Practice acceptance
When faced with the unfairness of a loved one’s illness or the burden of caregiving, there is often a need to make sense of the situation and ask “Why?” But you can spend a tremendous amount of energy dwelling on things you can not change and for which there are no clear answers. And at the end of the day, you will not feel any better.
Try to avoid the emotional trap of feeling sorry for yourself or searching for someone to blame. Focus instead on accepting the situation and looking for ways it can help you grown as a person. As the saying goes, “What does not kill us makes us stronger.”
- Focus on the things you can control. You can not wish your mother’s cancer away or force your brother to help out more. Rather than stressing out over things you can not control, focus on the way you choose to react to problems.
- Find the silver lining. Think about the ways caregiving has made you stronger or how it is brought you closer to person you are taking care of or to other family members. Think about how caregiving allows you to give back and show your love.
- Share your feelings. Expressing what you are going through can be very cathartic, even if there is nothing you can do to alter the situation. Talk to a friend or therapist about what you are going through as a family caregiver.
- Avoid tunnel vision. Do not let caregiving take over your whole life. It is easier to accept a difficult situation when there are other areas of your life that are rewarding. Invest in things that give you meaning and purpose—whether it is your family, church, a favorite hobby, or your career.
Dealing with caregiver stress & burnout tip 4: Take care of your health
Think of your body like a car. With the right fuel and proper maintenance, it will run reliably and well. Neglect its upkeep and it will start to give you trouble. Do not add to the stress of your caregiving situation with avoidable health woes.
- Keep on top of your doctor visits. It is easy to forget about your own health when you are busy with a loved one’s care. Do not skip check-ups or medical appointments. You need to be healthy in order to take good care of your family member.
- Exercise.When you are stressed and tired, the last thing you feel like doing is exercising. But you will feel better afterwards. Exercise is a powerful stress reliever and mood enhancer. Aim for a minimum of 30 minutes on most days. When you exercise regularly, you will also find it boosts your energy level and helps you fight fatigue.
- Meditate. A daily relaxation or meditation practice can help you relieve stress and boost feelings of joy and well-being. Try yoga, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or mindfulness meditation. Even a few minutes in the middle of an overwhelming day can help you feel more centered.
- Eat well.Nourish your body with fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lean protein, and healthy fats such as nuts and olive oil. Unlike sugar and caffeine—which provide a quick pick-me-up and an even quicker crash—these foods will fuel you with steady energy.
- Do not skimp on sleep. Cutting back on time in bed is counterproductive—at least if your goal is to get more done. Most people need more sleep than they think they do (8 hours is the norm). When you get less, your mood, energy, productivity, and ability to handle stress will suffer.
Dealing with caregiver stress & burnout tip 5: Join a support group
A caregiver support group is a great way to share your troubles and find people who are going through the same experiences that you are living each day. If you can not leave the house, many Internet groups are also available.
In most support groups, you will talk about your problems and listen to others talk; you will not only get help, but you will also be able to help others. Most important, you will find out that you are not alone. You will feel better knowing that other people are in the same situation, and their knowledge can be invaluable, especially if they are caring for someone with the same illness as you are.
There are two different support groups:
• To find a community support group, check the yellow pages, ask your doctor or hospital, or call a local organization that deals with the health problem you would like to address in a support group.
• To find an Internet support group, visit the website of an organization dedicated to the problem.
The Have I Got A Problem website is a free online resource to help people better understand any issues or concerns they may have about mental health or addiction. The website includes resources specifically focused to; general Mental Health, Depression, Stress, Anxiety, Insecurities, Self-harm Schizophrenia, Bipolar, Anger Management, Eating Disorders, Coping, general Addiction, Alcohol, Smoking, Gambling, Drugs, Cocaine, Heroin, Marijuana (Cannabis) Ecstasy, PCP, Mephedrone, Ketamine & Crystal Meth.
The site was created to give the public information to help them understand mental health and addiction issues and to assist people in making better informed decisions about their life and personal choices.
www.haveigotaproblem.com was created and is run by 'Advising Communities’, which is a UK registered charity (Charity No. 1061055)
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