Preventing Burnout
Our #1 Tip For Preventing Burnout
Caregiving can be both rewarding and challenging. Over time you may feel a buildup of stress and emotions. This can result in physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion, also known as caregiver burnout. Knowing what caregiver burnout looks like can help you monitor how you are feeling and allow you to take steps to reverse or prevent burnout.
Signs Of Burnout
Read the signs of caregiver burnout below and take a moment to consider if you have experienced any of these within the past 2 weeks. Check them off below.
- Lack of energy
- Constant exhaustion & fatigue
- Sleep challenges
- Changes in eating habits
- Neglecting physical needs
- Body aches & pain
- Getting sick more easily
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty completing daily tasks
- Forgetfulness
- Withdrawing from friends & avoiding people
- Feeling hopeless
- Feeling anxious or constantly worried
- Losing interest in things you once enjoyed
- Dismissing or ignoring your own emotional needs
- Feeling like you have no control of your life
- Feeling inpatient or easily irritated
- Lacking motivation
- Difficulty relaxing
The Best Way To Prevent Burnout: Find Good Supports
One of the most important things you can do to reverse or prevent burnout is carefully consider what other supports are available to you. Help can be both formal and informal. Formal support may include help from a professional organization with paid services and trained individuals. Informal support may include people like your family and friends.
Getting support can help reverse or prevent burnout by:
• Reducing stress.
• Giving you more time to do activities for yourself.
• Helping you feel more connected by having someone who understands.
• Knowing you have someone to lean on in difficult times.
• Allowing you to focus on the most important care tasks.
3 Steps To Finding More Support
Step 1: List What You Need Help With
Start by listing all the caregiving tasks you complete for your care recipient, big and small. Then, decide which activities you can complete by yourself while being realistic about your time and energy. The leftover tasks on the list will show you tasks that you may need to ask others for help with.
What do I or my care recipient need help with?
- I am able to complete this task by myself
- I may need to ask for help with this task
Step 2: Know What Supports Are Available
Start by listing all the caregiving tasks you complete for your care recipient, big and small. Then, decide which activities you can complete by yourself while being realistic about your time and energy. The leftover tasks on the list will show you tasks that you may need to ask others for help with.
Adult Day Program
- Supervised activities, meals, social opportunities, and personal care in a group setting.
Local Home Care Agencies
- Trained caregivers or nurses to care for your care recipient in their home.
Caregiver Support Groups
- Opportunity to interact with caregivers in similar situations to share resources, strategies, and experiences while helping caregivers feel less alone.
Online Supports
- Connect and interact with other caregivers, read about others’ experiences & strategies, and find comfort in knowing you are not alone.
Area Agency On Aging
- Your local Area Agency on Aging can help connect you with services available in your region.
Family, Friends & Neighbors
- Assistance with small daily tasks or errands. For example, grocery shopping, cooking, or transportation.
- Can offer to take turns caring for your care recipient. Can also be a familiar face to visit and check in with you & your care recipient.
- Provide emotional, physical, or financial support.
Doctors & Other Healthcare Providers
- Provide support for your physical & mental health.
- Referrals to resources or home care supports.
Eldercare Locator
- Use the U.S. Administration for Community Living’s Eldercare Locator to find services and supports for both you & your care recipient.
National Organizations
- Try searching online for local agencies or national organizations that provide illness-specific resources such as respite care & support groups. For example:
- Alzheimer’s Association
- National Stroke Association
- Parkinson’s Foundation
- American Cancer Society
Respite Care Locator
- Respite care can take many forms ranging from adult day programs to assisted living facilities. Use this Respite Care Locator to see what respite care options are available near you.
Other
- What other formal or informal supports can you think of that you could reach out to for help?
Step 3: Assertively Ask For Help
Now that you know what you need help with and what supports are available, it’s time to put things into practice and reach out for help!
If you are reaching out to a new support, you can use this template to make calls
or emails quicker!
Hello, my name is ______. I am contacting you to ask for support services for my care recipient.
I am looking for help with (list caregiving tasks). I am wondering if your services provide help with that?
Here is a bit about my care recipient, (share briefly about your care recipient’s situation or condition).
I was wondering if you could address other questions that I have:
• What is your billing process like?
• What training do your employees have?
Thank you for your time. Please let me know where I can reach
you if I have any more questions.
Take care!
If you are reaching out to friends, family, or neighbors, you can try the following strategies:
- Ask the person to meet up to chat one-on-one.
- Share the list of caregiving tasks you need help with and highlight areas where they may be best suited to help.
- Ask the person how they would like to help and how often.
