Posts Tagged Caregiver Burnout

In our last post, we looked at the problem of caregiver burnout and how to tell if you may be approaching burnout. Now let’s look at how to care for yourself and your loved one. First, you must understand that what you are feeling is not unusual. Caregiver burnout is much more common than you might think. This should come as no surprise given the number of Americans serving as caregivers and the amount of time and energy required to provide adequate care. Here are some steps you can take if you believe you might be suffering from caregiver burnout. Learn as much as you can about your loved one’s illness and how to care for it. The more you know, the more effective you’ll be and the better you’ll feel about your efforts. Recognize your limits. This involves taking a more realistic approach to how much time and effort

According to a report issued by the National Alliance for Caregivers and AARP, approximately 40 million Americans provide unpaid care to another adult. What is more, providing adequate care to a spouse or partner requires, on average, over 44 hours per week. Sadly, caregivers often devote so much time and energy to caring for a loved one that they fail to take adequate care of themselves. This has become so common that there is a term for it, “caregiver burnout.” Caregiver burnout has been defined as a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion that may be accompanied by a change in attitude-from positive and caring to negative and unconcerned. Many caregivers even feel guilty if they spend time on themselves rather than on caring for their elderly or ill loved one. If you are serving as the caregiver in your family, you need to understand the difficulty of what