What is Caregiver Burnout?

Your life as a caregiver is busy. That includes being personally busy, with your own responsibilities. Added to that, you have others to care for. It may be but one or two, depending on your schedule and needs that arise. Plus, there are the inevitable schedule changes that occur.

Yes, all of this can add up to added stress on some days, and less on others. You may feel that you have all of that pretty well in hand. Yet, you’ve recently heard of fellow caregivers getting burned out. That makes you pause. The idea of getting burned out to the point that you can no longer do your caregiver work is troubling. After all, you love what you do. It means a lot to you to be able to help families keep their loved ones and elders at home.

And you worry about loss of income and the effect of that on your own family. This blog is dedicated to your well-being! You’ll read about signs of burnout and the important steps to take to prevent it. This includes taking care of yourself, so we’ll go over why it matters. Even though you know a lot of those, we share information about the here and now plus your well-being years from now. Then we include some self-care tips! These are steps to take that promote your health. One side benefit is that as you try them out, you can share different ones with other people, if you wish to do so.

Signs of Burnout

Burnout as an occupational concern has been around since the 1970s. The World Health Organization identifies the term as being related to a person’s workplace, describing it as something that is an occupational syndrome and not a medical condition. It says that burnout is caused by workplace stress. This applies to many types of caregiving or public service types jobs for which people are paid to provide for others. Along with home caregivers, it includes nurses, doctors, teachers, and firefighters, among others.

The bottom line is that burnout is associated with working too much.

These are the more common signs of burnout that you might experience:

• Being exhausted, feeling emotionally or physically drained, with limited coping ability. This may include having general aches and pains, feel headachy, or having on and off digestive upsets.
• Feeling more removed or detached from clients. The job becomes more stressful with the least little thing getting on your nerves. This frustration leads to feeling numb and removed from work duties.
• Even at home, being burned out causes a feeling of being listless. It’s hard to concentrate on even simple tasks. Plus, it’s can be a challenge to engage in enjoyable activities.

Who to Talk With About Burnout

As you can see, burnout has similarities with other health concerns. These include chronic fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Because of this, it’s wise to discuss what you’re feeling with your primary care provider. There are suggestions your provider can make to help you feel better. Plus, if there is a chance that you have chronic fatigue or other concerning condition, your provider and you can make a plan to address it.

Steps for Preventing Burnout

It’s possible to prevent burnout, or nip it in the bud, so to speak! That means being honest with yourself when you start to feel exhausted or overwhelmed. Some steps to prevent burnout include:

• Pace yourself in all aspects of your life as much as possible. This can mean:
  • Only taking on clients and home activities that are manageable.
  • Recognizing when you’re starting to feel stressed.
  • Asking for help…before you need it!
• Remember that with age comes wisdom, plus a change in energy levels. These are different for each person so you can only go by what your energy patterns are like.
• As much as possible, balance your client obligations. That can mean balancing the care of someone with a lot of physical needs with someone for whom you do errands and meal preparation.
• Periodically check in with yourself about your energy and fatigue levels. Also reflect on your life and work satisfaction. If things start to seem negative too often, take steps to look at the root of what’s going on.
• If possible, cut back a bit in your work hours. That may include having someone else help you manage your accounts or scheduling.
• Reflect carefully on each caregiving situation. A client’s decline may be adding extra stress that can lead to burnout. If that’s the case, consider steps to take to discuss your concerns with the family.

Self-care: Why It Matters

There’s a lot of information out there today on ways to take care of yourself! In fact, there’s so much, it’s easy to gloss over it. Or to think that it’s mostly for people who have time for it. Oops! Almost everyone can make some time for self-care. The bottom line is doing so, along with giving yourself permission to do so.

• That’s right! Self-care is not selfish, instead it’s wise use of your time. In fact, it’s a very selfless act.
• Why’s that? Making time to care for self means that you’re clear and available to care for others.
• Then there are the short-term benefits to consider, such as:
  • Improved sleep and digestion
  • Fewer aches and pains
  • A brighter mood and enjoyment of simple things
  • Clear thinking and bursts of creativity…yes, you!
  • Letting things roll off your back more easily
  • Being able to graciously say “no”
  • Balanced weight and other signs of improved health
• That last point leads to the long-term benefits, including:
  • Reduced signs of inflammation, such as reductions in achy joints or improved oral health
  • Improved blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels
  • Better mental health and thinking ability
  • All of this means that you’re reducing your risk for a bunch of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and even dementia

Self-care is an investment in yourself! The you of today, tomorrow, and in the years to come. Once you begin to use some of the tips shared here, you’ll be surprised how easy it is. That includes ways to fit self-care into your usual routines.

Self-care Tips

In a lot of ways, this leaves the best for last! This is when you find out that there are fun aspects to self-care. Just think of any 3 or 4 year old kid you’ve known. They love all that running around, giggling, and making silly noises and faces. We can do the same, so to speak. That happens by:

• Using your breath as the first step. That means just paying attention to it. Use of the breath is the foundation to lots of self-care practices, so this is a good starting point.
  • Then to slow it down a bit.
  • Then try belly breathing following the steps in this linnk. After you get the hang of it, you can breathe that way while you walk and even as you care for a client.
  • Belly, or diaphragmatic, breathing can even help you fall asleep!
• Physical activity that you do for yourself. That means walking, dancing, cycling, yoga, tai chi, shooting hoops, or other exercise that’s part of your ‘off’ time. Even 10 minutes two or three times a day is self-care. The point is you’re doing it for you.
• Mindfulness practice, otherwise known as ‘living in the moment,’ is something you can use while working!
  • The main tip is to be aware of how you are already being mindful and go from there.
  • The short explanation is that mindfulness is being in the here and now. Not thinking of something from five minutes ago, or something that’ll occur in two weeks.
  • Some people find that their favorite activities are associated with being mindful. Like gardening, cooking, knitting, reading, fishing, woodworking, and all kinds of other things.
  • The point is you’re fully present in this moment. That’s a really good time to check in with how you’re feeling.
  • Chances are, the more mindful moments you can link together, the better you’ll feel. Your mood, your outlook, and your ability to manage stress.
• Let’s not forget nutrition!
  • All of the business about eating fresh, whole foods is true. They taste good, are satisfying, and help to reduce inflammation that causes all kinds of aches, pains, and chronic diseases.
  • There’s an array of foods that actually helps to reduce stress! The article linked here has a lot of tips about foods to eat and how they promote well-being. The author also discusses cortisol, a topic related to stress.
  • It’s certainly fine to consider supplements. Talk with your primary care provider about doing so, particularly if you take any medications, including over the counter ones.
  • Remember, the best way to get the nutrients you need is through food.
• Journaling is wonderful for self-care.
  • It’s like a quiet companion where you can share thoughts and experiences, solve problems, and make plans.
  • Use of the journal is a marvelous way to keep track of your self-care too.
  • It helps to have a place to jot ideas about travel or things you want to do locally.
  • Maybe you’ve never thought of yourself as a writer. Well, you can doodle, sketch or put pictures in the journal.
  • Make time for a full journal session two to three times a week. Doing so let’s you really explore what’s on your mind, including things that are weighing you down.
  • In other words, sky’s the limit when it comes to using a journal, just for you!

When you or anyone you know is feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or burned out, it’s a good idea to talk it with someone. It also helps to read up on tips that help you in your caregiving role. That’s one approach we are taking here at uCarenet+. We are developing resources that support and encourage you in your home caregiver role. Please check back frequently to review any new items we’ve posted.