Caregiver Burnout

Caregiving is an artful balance of providing for someone you care for deeply and making sure your own needs aren’t being neglected. It’s essential to determine your own limitations and care for yourself as well as others. Also, it’s important to make sure you’re aware of the signs of burnout. And if close friends and colleagues start to comment about noticing your decreased energy or mood changes, it’s time to seriously consider if you’re heading toward burnout.What are the signs of burnout?

  • A sense of ongoing and constant fatigue

  • Decreasing interest in work

  • Decrease in work production

  • Withdrawal from social contacts

  • Increase in use of stimulants and alcohol.

  • Increasing fear of death

  • Change in eating patterns

  • Feelings of helplessness

If you exhibit these signs of burnout, it’s time for you to take charge of your situation and make some changes.For example:

  • Participate in a support network

  • Consult with professionals to explore burnout issues

  • Attend a support group to receive feedback and coping strategies

  • Vary the focus of caregiving responsibilities if possible (rotate responsibilities with family members)

  • Exercise daily and maintain a healthy diet

  • Establish “quiet time” for meditation

  • Get a weekly massage

  • Stay involved in hobbies

Burnout is real, and it’s completely understandable: caregiving can be filled with moments of extreme stress and anxiety. So taking steps to comfort and/or re-energize yourself is not only “all right” to do, it’s absolutely necessary.  In some ways, taking care of yourself should be considered your first priority, because it’s critical to your ability to successfully caregive..

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