Caregiver Burnout – What Is It & How Can You Prevent It?

Let’s Get Started!

What Is Caregiver Burnout?

Caregiver Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. It usually develops when a caregiver focuses so much on caring for someone else that they neglect their own needs and health.

Over time Caregiver Burnout can easily change you – you can go from being upbeat, positive and supportive, to feeling depressed, stressed, impatient and even angry.

You may start to feel some of these common signs:

• • • Lack of energy and physical or emotional exhaustion

• • • Irritability, anxiety or depression

• • • Uninterested in your family, friends, or hobbies

• • • Trouble concentrating or sleeping

• • • Feelings of guilt or resentment

• • • Overreacting to minor challenges

• • • Feeling impatient and resentful with things that didn’t cause this before

• • • Getting sick more often than usual

What Causes Caregiver Burnout?

Burnout happens when your sole focus becomes being ‘The Caregiver’.                                                  At this point, you no longer have the energy to care for yourself, let alone your loved one…

Common Causes of Burnout:

• • • Role Confusion – Losing sight of your identity as a spouse, child or friend and only identifying as “the caregiver.”

• • • Denial – Hoping for unrealistic recovery or refusing to admit how serious the illness has become.

• • • Lack of Control – Feeling overwhelmed and helpless with managing 24/7 care, schedules, finances and daily care tasks.

• • • Isolation – Believing it’s your duty to handle everything by yourself.

• • • Neglects Self-Care – Too busy and tired to care for yourself – skipping meals, sleep, exercise, or social time.

• • • Life Revolves Around Caregiving – Having no downtime to recharge or regroup.

• • • Unrealistic Demands – Expectations placed on the caregiver by family, friends or others that no one person can meet.

Caregiver Burnout – What Is It and 7 Ways You Can Prevent It

“Caregiver burnout doesn’t mean you have failed —

it means you’ve been trying to do too much for too long with too little support.”

– Dr. Barry J. Jacobs, The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers 

 

 

How Can You Prevent Caregiver Burnout?

• • • Give Yourself Permission to Rest – Enjoy some free time, de-stress, recharge your batteries and do something you love. You’ll feel happier, more energetic, and focused

• • •  Take regular breaks – Even short ones can help you relax and recharge: take a walk, listen to music, meet a friend or simply enjoy quiet time.

• • •  Take Care of Your Health – Exercise, eat well, meditate, get enough sleep, stay active! Your health affects the care you provide.

• • • Accept the Situation – You can’t control everything. Focus on what you can do, and practice self-compassion instead of guilt.

• • •  Find Support – It can be hard to accept the unfairness of a loved one’s illness or the burden of caregiving.

Join a caregiver support group or online community where you can share experiences with others in the same situation. Check out Kokua Mau’s List of Support Groups here in Hawai’i.

Take a caregiver self-assessment questionnaire to determine your level of stress. It was developed by the American Medical Association and recommended by the American Psychological Association.

• • • Ask for Help – Reach out to family and friends.  Ask them to help with errands, meals, or short breaks.  Remember that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

• • • Partner With a Trusted Home Care Agency – Professional in-home caregivers can provide respite and ongoing support that helps you regain balance, peace of mind, and energy.

Caregiver Burnout – What Is It and 7 Ways You Can Prevent It