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Tips for Coping with Caregiver Burnout

Posted: 10/8/2017 11:34 AM by Interim HealthCare
When you made the decision to be a family caregiver for your aging parent it is likely that you knew that you were facing increased risk for stress. While you may have thought that you were preparing yourself properly for this stress and even taking steps to deal with it, you might have found yourself dealing with high levels of this serious health issue and could face caregiver burnout.

Burnout is a condition of total exhaustion from a mental, emotional, and physical perspective that can lead to loss of motivation, disconnection from the world around you and your care arrangement, and diminished effectiveness as a caregiver. Taking the time to cope with this burnout is an important step in protecting yourself, but also your parent and your care relationship.

Use these tips to help you cope with caregiver burnout:
• Be willing to ask for help. Many people who suffer from burnout experience this issue because they try to take on too much or do more than they are capable of doing. Be willing to ask for help in your care efforts or in the other obligations and needs in your life, such as transportation for your children or having your partner take on more responsibilities around the house.

• Refuse to feel guilty. Guilt leads many people to not taking care of themselves and focusing all of their energy and attention on others. Do not let yourself feel guilty for knowing that you have needs and being willing to fulfill those needs .

• Look into elder care. An elderly home care services provider can fill care gaps, give you a much-needed break, and ease your worries that your parent is not getting the care and assistance that they need.

• Spend time with people you love. Social interaction is an important part of mental and emotional health. Schedule opportunities to spend time with those you love, including your partner, your children, and your friends so that you always have something to look forward to, you can give your mind a break, and you can receive support when you need it.

If you have been looking for ways to enhance your aging parent’s quality of life and ensure that they get all of the care, support, assistance, and encouragement that they need throughout their later years, now may be the ideal time for you to consider starting elder care for them. An elderly home care services provider can be with your parent on a customized schedule to ensure that they are with them as much as they need to be, while also keeping you at the forefront of their care routine. Through a set of highly personalized services your parent can maintain a high level of physical activity, engage with the world around them, keep their mind active, and support as much independence as possible as they age in place. As their family caregiver this can give you tremendous peace of mind knowing that even when you are not able to be with your parent, they are still in good hands.

Learn more about respite care.