How To Avoid Caregiver Burnout

The Signs Of Caregiver Burnout

It’s something that happens to even the best caregivers.

You wake up in the morning feeling physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted.  You lay in bed motionless, pondering your to-do list for the day ahead and you feel utterly overwhelmed.  Your usual upbeat attitude and positive outlook on life is absent, replaced by negative thoughts so strong that all you want to do is hide under the bedcovers until the sense of helplessness you feel subsides.

Does this sound familiar?

If it does, you may be suffering from a condition known as caregiver burnout.  It’s a serious matter that if left unchecked, can be detrimental to the well-being of everyone involved.  The good news is that we’ve learned a lot about caregiver burnout in recent years, including ways to prevent it and how to deal with it when it does happen.

Causes Of Caregiver Burnout

Whether you’re a professional caregiver or a family member watching over a loved one, you’ll be exposed to many of the same factors that contribute to caregiver burnout.  They include:

• Conflicting needs. The person you care for has needs.  Your family members have needs.  Other people close to you have needs and, last but not least, you have needs.  The problem is there are only so many hours in a day.  You can’t be everything to everyone no matter how hard you try and balancing conflicting needs is what contributes to the stress and anxiety most caregivers feel.
• Feeling Isolated: Caregiving is generally a solitary type of work – it’s just you and the person you are caring for.  As such, it’s easy for caregivers to feel as if they are alone on a deserted island with no one to lend a helping hand when one is needed.  The weight of responsibility falls totally on the caregiver.
• Unreasonable Expectations. Caregivers rarely enjoy the satisfaction of a “job well done.”  Taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other progressive diseases can be frustrating because it becomes more difficult day-by-day, thus elevating caregiver stress.

There are many other causes of caregiver burnout, but an important thing to remember is that caregivers are often “too close to the forest to see the trees,” meaning they are they last ones to recognize when it’s happening.  They are so immersed in the acts of caregiving they fail to recognize when it’s time they pause to take care of themselves.

Preventing Caregiver Burnout

Great caregivers know that you can’t pour from an empty cup.  To acquire and maintain the physical and mental strength they need to care for others, they must always be cognizant of addressing their own needs.  Caregiver burnout can be a debilitating condition and the best way to deal with it is by preventing it from occurring.  Some ways of effectively doing this are:

• Develop coping mechanisms. Have someone to turn to when things get tough. Talking about your feelings with a family member, friend, neighbor or other caregiver can help minimize the sense of isolation and helpless you will sometimes experience.  The weight of responsibility you feel is not so heavy when it’s shared with someone who understands.
• Seek and find help. You are a caregiver, not a miracle worker.  Don’t try to do everything yourself, especially when there are other options and resources available.  When you are feeling overwhelmed, contact your local elder care non-profits and government agencies to see what help they can offer to make your job easier.  Simple things like help with grocery shopping or transportation to medical appointments can significantly help to lower the levels of stress caregivers feel.
• Monitor your health. See your physician for check-ups regularly and don’t forget to mention that you are a caregiver.  Medical professionals understand your unique work situation and will safeguard you with the necessary immunizations and follow-up care.  The health of those under your care is predicated strongly upon your state of physical well-being, so do what’s necessary to make sure you’re as physically and emotionally fit as possible.

Know Your Limitations.

Caregivers are, but nature, nurturing people.  They are so focused on caring for others they often put themselves at risk by ignoring their personal needs.  It’s not a sign of weakness to seek and get help and even the most resilient caregivers need to take pause and take a time out from their responsibilities.

When it’s time for you to take a deep breath and recharge as a caregiver, do it.  Don’t wait until you reach the point of being incapacitated and burned out.  Being a caregiver can at times be like a frozen computer – you need to unplug and reboot so you can restart and perform your very best.

Be good to yourself.  It’s the first rule of being a great caregiver.