Overwhelmed? Stressed? Managing Caregiver Burnout.
Professional caregivers and workers in the home care field are familiar with the role of a caregiver, however, most aging adults receive care from informal caregivers – family or friends who provide unpaid care.
Caring for aging loved ones, especially those with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, can become overwhelming. Stresses of caregiving often accompany the rewards. Studies show that caregivers are more likely to suffer from depression and other health issues.
Identifying issues causing stress and utilizing available resources allow caregivers to continue their important role.
Symptoms of Caregiver Burnout
Symptoms of caregiver burnout vary, but consistent issues tied to the stresses of caregiving include:
- Increased anxiety, which may present as excessive worrying about the future
- Depression
- Difficulty sleeping
- Anger
- Withdrawal from social events
- Denial about the seriousness of the situation
- Decline in caregiver health
Online quizzes are also available to help identify and prevent caregiver burnout. These quizzes ask questions to help identify stresses a caregiver is experiencing and offer suggestions for coping with them. To take a quiz, follow the links below.
Click here to take a quiz offered by Caregiving.com.
Click here to take the Alzheimer’s Association’s Caregiver Stress Check Quiz.
Getting Support
Typically, the best solution for caregiver burnout is respite care, which refers to temporary care for an elderly loved one to provide relief for the overwhelmed caregiver. The key to respite care is building a support team – anyone you feel comfortable asking to help care for your loved one while you take time to regroup and recover. This can include family, friends, neighbors, hired home care, or a combination of all of the above.
Respite care can range from a weekly afternoon visit to 24-hour care.
A perk of partnering with a home care company is the additional comfort of knowing that in the event of an unexpected illness or commitment, you can rely on top-notch, guaranteed back-up.
Seniors Home Care is in its 28th year of teaming with St. Louis families. We allow caregivers peace of mind while they take the time needed to care for themselves.
The most effective caregiver is a happy and healthy caregiver. If you or anyone you know are at risk of caregiver burnout, please contact SHC. We would be happy to discuss our services and a schedule to benefit you and your loved one.
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