Caregivers may experience burnout throughout their time caring for elderly family members. Caregiver burnout has mental, physical, and emotional effects that may also come with a change in attitude. Burnout often occurs when caregivers overwork themselves or don’t receive proper help when caring for a senior loved one. Here are some of the top causes of caregiver burnout.
1. Ehaustion
Sometimes caregiver burnout is simply the result of exhaustion. Tending to a loved one can be an emotionally and physically challenging experience. Every day, you may toil away to keep your loved one as comfortable as possible. You may also wake up too early, forget to eat right, and bottle up your emotions. If you’re exhausted for too long, your mind and body may eventually start giving up. To prevent exhaustion, you need to take care of your own needs. Get the recommended amount of sleep, drink eight glasses of water a day, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and make time every week for some cathartic exercise.
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2. Unreasonable Demands
Caregivers typically have other family and financial responsibilities in addition to their caregiving roles. Over time, the burdens can become too much to bear and lead to burnout. Caregivers should avoid placing too many responsibilities on themselves because they can become overwhelmed. They should also talk with their loved ones if they feel they’re demanding too much from them and determine if the time has come to hire professional home care. Unreasonable demands can cause stress and resentment if they aren’t handled properly.
Families who need help caring for a senior loved one can turn to Embrace In-Home Care, a leading provider of elderly home care. Services available in our customizable care plans include meal prep, mental and social stimulation, assistance with personal hygiene tasks, and much more.
3. Unrealistic Expectations
When you first take on your new role, you may have unrealistic expectations. You may set an impractical timeline for your loved one’s recovery or underestimate how long it will take to complete your daily caregiving tasks. Sometimes caregivers think they should be able to do more than they’re capable of doing for their loved ones. If you fail to meet your initial expectations, you may become discouraged and lose your sense of self-worth. One way to prevent this issue is to be practical but realistic about your personal abilities. Instead of surrendering to negative thoughts, use your initial mistakes as learning opportunities and readjust your expectations to account for the new knowledge. This approach may help you avoid a great deal of emotional stress.
Cring for a senior loved one can be challenging for families who don’t have expertise or professional training in home care, but this challenge doesn’t have to be faced alone. Family caregivers can turn to Green Valley Home Care Assistance for the help they need. We provide high-quality live-in and respite care as well as comprehensive Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care.
4. Guilt
Many caregivers feel guilty if their loved ones are ill and experiencing pain. They may also feel as if they aren’t doing enough for them. Most of these feelings of guilt are completely unwarranted. It’s normal human behavior to lose your temper sometimes or feel irritated when you’ve had a long, hard day.
5. Shifting Roles
As elderly people age, it may seem as if the roles are reversing, with caregivers feeling more like the parents and viewing their senior loved ones as more like the children. Relationships can change as a result. Caregivers may find themselves making decisions their loved ones used to make for themselves.
Family caregivers need to care for their own wellbeing. If you’re caring for an aging loved one and are feeling overwhelmed, consider hiring a professional caregiver to provide respite care. Green Valley families who want to prevent burnout can turn to Embrace In-Home Care. One of our professional caregivers can assist your loved one at home while you take a nap, go to work, run errands, or go on vacation. To create a customized home care plan for your loved one, call Embrace In-Home Care at (520) 625-2050 today.