Caregiver Burnout Tips

Caregiver burnout is defined, by Cleveland Clinic, as a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion. Stressed caregivers may experience fatigue, anxiety and depression. When caring for a loved one or simply being an employee at a company where you are hired on to do medical and non-medical tasks for a client, can be a very strenuous task. Constantly worrying over their well-being, sometimes being yelled at by the client or loved one, when you are only trying to help, can take its toll on someone.

Today, we will be talking about ways you can reduce and/or cope with having caregiver burnout and how to enjoy the blessing of being a caregiver.

1. Ask for help. Too many times, us as caregivers, we have the notion that we must do it all ourselves and that we must do a perfect job or we will get fired or reprimanded for something. Truthfully, asking for help reduces the risks of making mistakes that might lead to professional disciplinary actions or situations that may put your loved one or client at risk. If there is too much on your plate and you feel stressed out with finishing them in a certain time frame, ask for help, ask for guidance and accept the help with open arms.

2. Remember that YOU matter TOO. Your loved one or client may be in a situation where they cannot help themselves or guide you in helping them. With loved ones or cases like these, it is hard to remember that you need caring for too. Caring for yourself can come in many forms, whether it’s taking a nap (not while on the job, of course ), going to sleep early, having a self-pampering day, going out to lunch, watching a movie or hanging out with friends and family. Whatever it is, take the time to love and care for yourself and as you continue to be a blessing to others such as your loved one and client, blessings will be added unto you.

3. Look for help. Now, this is different from asking for help and really pertains to you who are taking care of a family member/loved one. There are many services out there that can help care for your loved one just as you would. Whether you need respite care, 24-hour care, hourly care, or around the clock care, you can find it by simply googling or searching for medical and non-medical health agencies near you. When searching be very detailed and precise with the care you know your loved one needs and proceed with vetting the company.

4. Make sure to learn all you can about your loved one’s or client’s “disability”. If your loved one or client has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s/Dementia, Parkinson’s, Guillain-Barre Syndrome or many other diseases, it is important that you understand what your loved one or client is going through and empathize with them to better care for them. Understanding the disease can help you to care for them appropriately without the added stress of not knowing if you are doing something right or wrong or if this or that would help. By simply educating yourself you can save time and confusion.

Want to learn more about PC Home Health’s services? Contact us at (214) 991-5619.