How to Avoid Caregiver Burnout

Being a caregiver is extremely rewarding, but it can also be emotionally taxing over time. Before you can take care of another person, you must take care of yourself and your own needs to avoid getting burned out. 

Signs of Caregiver Burnout

If you feel overwhelmed with your caregiving responsibilities, you’re not alone - even the most experienced caregivers can experience burnout. A few ways that you can tell that you’re approaching this level of exhaustion are:

• Withdrawal from friends and family or activities that you enjoy
• Lack of appetite
• Getting sick more often
• Changes in sleep patterns (both having trouble falling asleep and sleeping too much can be a sign of burnout)
• Extreme physical or emotional exhaustion

If you feel as if you may be experiencing caregiver burnout, you must take steps to take care of yourself. Here are a few steps you can take to right the ship and avoid total burnout.

5 Ways to Avoid Caregiver Burnout

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings - In many ways providing care for a loved one is even more difficult than caring for a stranger because, depending on their condition, you may be experiencing them struggle with the deterioration of their skills and independence. You may feel frustrated or sad about what is happening, and that is totally normal! Acknowledging your feelings does not make you a bad person or caregiver; it allows you to process them in a healthy manner and let them go.
   
   
2. Define Exactly What You’re Struggling With - This may seem like a simple and silly task, but until you identify what is causing you to stress, it’s impossible to take steps to improve or ask for help. Take a few minutes to write out what you’re feeling without the pressure of coming up with solutions. By identifying your biggest struggles, you can determine what tasks can be delegated to someone else or broken into smaller pieces.
   
   
3. Seek Out Peer Support - Specialized support groups can be a great way to connect with other caregivers in your area. Taking the time to talk through shared experiences is a great way to relieve stress and work through some challenging elements of caregiving. 
   
   
4. Talk to a Professional - If support groups are unavailable in your area or you’re more comfortable in a one-on-one setting, speaking with a therapist can be a great way to work through any problems you may face in a more private environment.
   
   
5. Take Advantage of Supplementary Care Services - Some caregiving services, like Comforting Home Care, offer hourly caregiving services so that you can designate the level of support you and your loved one need. This gives you the flexibility to add a little bit of support on a regular basis without committing to a full care facility. To learn more about these services, give us a call at 610.991.7615!