Caregivers in Papillion NE
Some family caregivers like to believe that caregiver stress is something that happens to other caregivers and not to them. The truth is that it can strike any caregiver, but if you’re alert to the signs and to the risk factors, you can avoid it more easily.
The Biggest Risk Factors
When it comes to who is most likely to experience caregiver stress, there are some risk factors that can give you even more advance warning. If you fall into any of the following risk factor categories, it’s essential that you develop and stick to a solid self-care plan. These signs don’t guarantee that you’re going to be plagued by caregiver stress, of course, but they can be a warning sign. Some of the biggest risk factors include:
- Being a woman
- Living with your elderly loved one
- Having few social interactions
- Having a history of depression
- Experiencing financial hardship due to caregiving
- Little to no help with caregiving
- Trouble solving problems
- Feeling forced into being a family caregiver
Signs that You’re Dealing with Caregiver Stress
The signs of caregiver stress can be extremely similar to the signs of other types of stress. In fact, you might simply start feeling more enhanced feelings of stress than you typically do. For other people, these signs show up specifically when they’re dealing with caregiving situations. Some of the warning signs can include:
- Feeling anxious or worried constantly
- Feeling overly tired, even with a lot of sleep
- Sleeping too much or even too little
- Extreme weight fluctuations without an explanation
- Extreme irritation or sudden anger
- Lack of interest in activities and events that you used to love
- Feeling sad or depressed
- Physical symptoms such as pain or headaches
- Leaning on crutches such as alcohol
Start out on the Right Foot
If you’re still new to your caregiving journey, it’s really important to start out on the right foot to avoid caregiver stress. Make sure that you’re taking care of yourself as well as you can. If you’re finding that to be too difficult on your own, don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor and to get some help. The better care that you take of yourself, the better you can care for your elderly loved one.
Being alert to the dangers of caregiver stress will help to make sure that you aren’t blindsided by it at some point in the future.
If you or an aging loved one are considering caregivers in Papillion, NE, please contact the caring staff at Seniors Helping Seniors® Greater Omaha at (402) 215-0308 today.