Avoiding burnout is vital for caregivers
More than 65 million Americans provide care for an elderly loved one, which is about 29% of our population. Senior caregivers in Colorado Springs and elsewhere, should recognize that home care can be very demanding, and if there’s no respite for the caregiver, it can quickly lead to burnout. When a caregiver experiences burnout happens, even for professional caregivers, the quality of care begins to deteriorate.
Burnout generally occurs with family members who provide home care for elderly loved ones try to do too much, or they just don’t give themselves a break when it’s really needed. When caring for a senior who cannot manage daily tasks like dressing, bathing, and eating, in-home care can be extremely demanding. When caregivers get run down, the senior could be at risk, as well as the caregivers.
Tips for avoiding caregiver burnout
It’s very important that a caregiver does not become run down to the point of exhaustion, because they will be unable to provide the kind of care needed. Here are some of the best things you can do to avoid getting burned out while providing quality care:
- enlist the aid of other family members to accomplish care objectives
- be realistic with your daily task list
- make sure to maintain a healthy diet and drink plenty of water each day
- build in some quiet time for yourself each day
- set limits on what you can do for your elderly loved ones
- keep communication lines open with family members and with senior loved ones
- get regular exercise so that you can relieve the buildup of stress
- get a good night’s sleep every night and schedule rest periods between tasks
- pay attention to any signs of stress or mood change in your behavior.
