November is National Family Caregivers Month. It is a time to honor, appreciate, and support the many family caregivers who provide countless hours of care to their family. Family caregivers provide about 37 billion hours of unpaid care each year.
Being a caregiver can be an exhausting and difficult task. It’s important to recognize caregiver burnout and cope healthily. Understanding caregiver burnout symptoms and coping mechanisms can help make caregiving more enjoyable and fulfilling.
About 1 in 3 adults serves as an informal caregiver to another adult, like an aging parent or disabled relative. Although many find the opportunity to care for a loved one to be a privilege, it can also be demanding. From our partners at ClearCare comes this informative blog about how to identify if you are experiencing “Caregiver Burnout”.
Signs of Caregiver Burnout
Caregiver burnout is a state of exhaustion that may result in a change of attitude. The exhaustion can be physical, emotional, and/or mental. Common signs of burnout include:
- Lack of energy
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Feeling fatigued
- Sense of hopelessness, despair
- Weight loss or gain
- Loss of interest in hobbies and activities
Tips for Coping with Caregiver Burnout
Burnout doesn’t have to be a permanent condition. Use these tips to prevent and cope with caregiver burnout.
- Set Realistic Goals – Understand that not all tasks can be done all of the time. Consider saying “no” to extra requests and demands.
- Connect with Others – Find a support group, talk to a friend regularly, and connect with others who can listen and understand.
- Respite Care – it allows family caregivers to take a break and recharge with peace of mind knowing their loved ones are safe and well cared for.
Respite care is a convenient and beneficial short-term care option that can last anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks. It can be provided on a recurring or case-by case basis. Seniors Helping Seniors of North & East Raleigh works one-on-one with families to help them find the most appropriate care for their loved one. All services are flexible and completely customizable to meet every need and demand. We provide assistance with meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands and transportation, and Dementia and Alzheimer’s care. Our senior caregivers are richly experienced and provide excellent care, emotional support and friendly companionship. They show compassion and respect to our seniors and engage them in enjoyable pastimes and interesting conversations to keep your loved ones mentally challenged, socially active, and happy.
If you are feeling stressed out and need respite to recharge your batteries call Seniors Helping Seniors of North & East Raleigh at 919-761-5346 to get additional information, schedule a free consultation, and/or discuss your concerns.