Approximately 34 million Americans are providing care for a loved one over the age of 50 without receiving any monetary compensation. We may think of caregiving as a labor of love – we even refer to these friends or family members who are caring for their loved one as “informal caregivers” – but there’s no doubt about it, caregiving is demanding and important work, oftentimes with round-the-clock responsibilities. Take into consideration that more than one third of informal caregivers are over the age of 65 and nearly half are helping a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, and you can imagine how caregiving can be exhausting and frustrating, even overwhelming.
There are many things that caregivers can do to help manage the stress and challenges that come with caregiving and help prevent burnout. First and foremost, caregivers need to understand that taking better care of themselves is not a selfish act. In fact, by reducing their own stress and avoiding burnout, caregivers are better able to provide the best care possible to their loved ones.
Caregiver stress can show up in many ways, from insomnia to feeling irritable, depressed or anxious to suffering new or increased physical health issues, even turning to alcohol as a way to cope. Caregiver stress can quickly escalate into burnout, where the symptoms of stress become more pronounced and can lead to self-neglect, worsening health, increased irritability, persistent exhaustion and feelings of hopelessness. What was once a labor of love feels like nothing more than work that never seems to end and no longer brings any feelings of reward or purpose.
There are some fairly simple solutions caregivers can begin to implement to help lighten the load:
1. Ask for and accept help from others. You may be so accustomed to doing things yourself that you don’t even think to ask friends or other family members to pitch in. Ask them to take shifts to give you a break or perhaps help to pay for a professional caregiver to help out. Maybe they can bring you dinner or run an errand. You may be surprised to find out how much people are willing to help when you ask.
2. Schedule time to do activities that you enjoy. Spending time with friends, participating in hobbies or pampering yourself with a massage or manicure can be totally refreshing.
3. Take care of your health by doing the basics: eat healthy meals, get regular exercise, schedule your own medical appointments and take your medication as prescribed, practice relaxation techniques and get enough sleep. Some of these things can replace less healthy time-wasters, such as watching TV or playing video games.
4. Take advantage of local programs and services available to caregivers. Find out more about how AARP Tampa Bay makes efforts every day to support caregivers. Through various programs, support and guidance- caregiving is made just a little easier for residents in the community.
This important information is provided to you by our Sponsor of the Month.
