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Care of the caregiver
Taking care of you
Caregiving for another person can be satisfying, but it can also be an exhausting
and thankless job. You may sacrifice your leisure time, your vacations and
your privacy. Multiple demands from your family, your job and the person
for whom you care, leave little time for yourself. Too often caregivers neglect
their own health and well being, and put their own needs on the back burner.
You may not be able to stop the impact of a disease or disability on the
care receiver, but you must be responsible for your own self-care.
Caregiver depression, stress & fatigue
As a family caregiver, you may experience depression. You may believe that
you cannot do enough for the person you care for. You may also be angry because
your efforts go unappreciated and unrecognized. Perhaps, you don't get help
and support from other family members. There are demands that are put on
your time, not to mention your physical and mental health. Like many caregivers,
you were thrust into this role without much preparation or planning. Not
only are you dealing with the daily physical tasks, but also with the changes
taking place in your relationship with the person for whom you care.
You may have believed that no matter what would happen to your loved one, you
would have an abundance of love, strength and courage to care for her or
him. But now as the caregiver, you are faced with the realities of the job,
your stamina is dwindling and you are feeling resentful.
An estimated 61 percent of family members who provide 21 hours or more of
care per week suffer from depression. You need to recognize the signs of
caregiver fatigue and stress. If not addressed, it can negatively affect
your own health, well-being and your ability to provide care. In extreme
cases, it can lead to inadequate care or even verbal and physical abuse of
the care receiver. Caregiver fatigue and stress can be managed so you can
maintain or improve your physical and emotional well being.
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Caregiver's self-assessment
Read the following Caregiver's self-assessment and see if you may be at risk
for caregiver's burnout. To locate respite services in your community that
can provide you with a temporary break from your caregiving duties call 1-866-219-7218
or visit the Lifespan Respite
Care Program Web site.
Please answer "yes" or "no" to the following questions
related to your caregiving situation:
- Do you ever find yourself trying to do it all and be responsible for
all aspects of the caregiving?
- Do you experience sleep disturbances, including inability to fall asleep
or stay asleep?
- Do you frequently experience aches and pains, including muscle aches,
neck aches or headaches?
- Do you say to yourself "I should be able to...," "I can
never..." or other similar statements?
- Do you get frustrated about something in particular you are unable to
change?
- Do you experience chronic health problems and experience low energy
or exhaustion?
- Do you resist asking for and receiving assistance from others?
- Do you feel that your family has no idea what you must go through and
they simply do not understand?
- Do you experience emotional outbreaks, including anxiety, depression,
anger, guilt or loneliness?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you are more than
likely experiencing caregiver stress, which can put you at risk for caregiver
burnout. You can manage caregiver stress so that it does not make you ill
or interfere with your caregiving and the rest of your life. Many caregiving
situations fail or caregivers become ill because they have failed to sustain
the activities, interests and friendships that they love. It is critical
that you have a few hours a week away from caregiving. Remember, you cannot
provide quality care unless you care for yourself.
Resources
Review our Caregiver resources for useful information
about how to care for yourself as a caregiver.
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