PBS airdate: Check local listings. www.pbs.org While family caregivers give of themselves out of love, there are real physical, emotional and financial costs associated with caregiving. As we live longer and caregiving becomes a bigger issue in the US, learn what can be done to help our caregiving community.
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Prevent Caregiver Burnout – Adult Day Care is an Option

Caregiver burnout is defined as a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion which can occur when providing care to someone who needs ongoing, extensive care and support.  Typically this is a family caregiver who is charged with caring for an aging parent or spouse.  Caregiver burnout occurs when the person responsible for providing care does not get the help and support they need.

Signs of Caregiver Burnout

Caregivers who suffer caregiver burnout will be experiencing high levels of stress, fatigue, lack of sleep, financial pressures and interruptions in employment.  Some signs and symptoms include:

–          Irritability and short temperedness

–           Anxiety

–          Change in sleep patterns

–          Weight gain or loss

–          Withdrawal

–          Lack of interest

The biggest issue is that caregiver burnout happens gradually.  It does not rollover the caregiver like the flu, but happens more like a slow leak and suddenly the dam breaks and there is disaster.  If caregiver stress is left untreated for too long, the caregiver will experience burnout and will stop caring and will no longer be able to provide care and support to the one in need.  In addition, there are serious health consequences associated with caregiver burnout including chronic depression, anxiety as well as increase in heart disease and other physical ailments.

Six Tips for Avoiding Caregiver Burnout

The key to avoiding caregiver burnout is to manage caregiver stress and get help and support before it is too late. There are a number caregiver programs that can help with caregiver stress.  Find more information about caregiver programs at Sarahcare.

Seek Support from Friends or Neighbors – Ask others to stop by and provide some respite for a few hours.  Most people are willing to help, they just need to be asked.  Be specific in your request.

Leverage other Family Members – Call siblings, grandkids or adult children to step in and help out.  While the family caregiver is typically fully responsible, this responsibility should be shared among other family members.

Seek Help from the Church, Senior Center, or Professional Provider– Many churches or senior centers offer companion care free of charge.  These are typically younger seniors who stop by and visit with aging seniors who need support.  You can also pay for professional companion service via some home health agencies.

Set Realistic Expectations – Given the situation, the family caregiver cannot be expected to do it all.  Understand personal limitations and be forgiving to yourself.  If all the laundry does not get done, so be it.

Try Adult Day Care – Adult day care is a service that provides care to an aging loved one during the day at an affordable rate.  Having your loved one leave the house provides them the opportunity to socialize and feel engaged, but also gives the family caregiver time to manage things around the home.

Being a family caregiver is a stressful and often thankless job; however millions of people do the job simply because they must.  To be an effective caregiver to your loved one, it is critical to seek support early on in the care giving process.  Caregiver burnout can have serious consequences…don’t try to do it alone.

If you would like more information about Adult Day Care visit Sarahcare Adult Day Care Services at  http://sarahcare.com.

The video is an excerpt from “Burnout Among Caregivers” for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. Need a similar video for your organization? Contact www.mazurmediacom.com!