Avoiding & Coping with Burnout for Alzheimer's or Dementia Caregivers
Caring for an alzheimer's or dementia suferer can lead to burnout. If you are a caregiver, you may be there already. You can find out if you have reached the burnout stage by taking our caregiver burnout challenge. If you do not have burnout yet, you are lucky. You can begin implementing the suggestions here to avoid burnout. For those at the burnout level, hope is not yet lost. Implementing the suggestions below can help you cope with burnout and reduce your stress level from it.
Our strategy for coping with caregiver burnout involves keeping the three aspects of your life - physical, mental and spiritual, in balance. Some of our suggestions involve finding time to do additional tasks when you feel that you are under a time crunch as it is. It is ok. You are not alone. You do not have to do all the suggestions at once. Gradually begin to make the recommended changes in your lifestyle. As you progress, you will begin to notice that you are finding more time to implement other suggestions. The main idea that you have to remember is that to be effective at what you do, the three aspects of your life - physical, mental and spiritual have to be in balance.
Maintaining your Physical Self
- Exercise Regularly
Attend exercise, yoga or Tai Chi classes at local community or fitness centers, exercise at home to a yoga or Tai Chi video tape, swim, dance, garden, lift small weights, walk around the block or on a treadmill, or use an in-home fitness company. Practice deep breathing and learn to meditate. - Visit your doctor for a regular check up
When you visit your doctor, make sure you explain your caregiving symptoms. He is better equipped to find you help when you need it. - Maintain a healthy eating habit
Keep your eating habits balanced; do not fall into a toast-and-tea habit. Eating right is hard to do when you are busy. Balanced diet, low sugar, low fat and healthy snacks can help you from getting sick. - Manage your time more effectively
Managing you time effectively can help you reduce the stain of caring for someone else.
* List priorities, decide what to leave undone, and think of ways to make the work easier. When doing a long, boring care task, use the time to relax or listen to music.
* Make sure your goals are realistic; you may be unable to do everything you could do before.
* Spread the word that you would welcome some help, and allow friends to help with respite care.
* Delegate (assign) jobs to others. Keep a list of tasks you need to have done and assign specific ones when people offer to help.
* Realize your own limitations and accept them.
You have to find time for yourself so that you can implement the suggestions listed here. You need time to exercise as described above. You need time to maintain your mental and spiritual selves as described below. You have to remember that you are caring for someone important and your being effective at it, is very important. You also need time to treat yourself as a reward for all your hard work and to keep all aspects of you in balance. Have a massage can be a very effective way to have a treat. Finding time is crucial. As you plan your activities, remember that you cannot fret for yesterday's issues – it is gone. Today is what will set the tone for tomorrow. You have to take it one day at a time. - Improve your sleeping habits
Poor sleeping habits or lack of sleep is a frequent cause of caregiver burnout. Sometimes, it may even be a result of implementing ideas to cope with care giving stress. A key issue is exercising. When you exercise, you have to make sure that you do not do so close to bedtime unless that is your only opportunity.
Your eating habit can also interfere with your sleeping pattern. You should avoid caffeine in the evenings. Some care receivers sleep during the day but are awake at night. An effective way to cope is to change your sleep cycle to match the care receiver's sleep cycle. Getting more relaxing sleep is better than getting more sleep.
If nothing else works, it is time to get some outside help at night. Getting respite care help is discussed below. - Use Respite Care
Respite care means taking a break from caregiving, usually because someone else is taking care of your care receiver for a few hours, days, or weeks. At this stage you must get away from caregiving at least half a day once a week (more often, if possible) and take longer breaks when needed.
One type of respite care break is when relatives, friends, or volunteers from a faith community stay with the care receiver so that the caregiver can leave the home.
Formal respite care services are provided by businesses and non-profit agencies. There are several types of formal respite care: companions, homemakers, home health aides, adult day care, and overnight care for a few days or longer in a facility such as a nursing home. Sometimes you have to ask for these services by name rather than asking for respite care, but all of these provide a break for the caregiver.
Maintaining your Mental self
- Get Emotional support
- Join a support group, or start one.
You may feel that you do not have time to do all the things on your plate right now. It is however important that you join a support group or start one to share ideas and resources.
People in your support group are likely to be going through the same issues you face. Sharing your emotions can provide relief. Knowing that others are going through the same issues you face will make you not feel alone. Participants in your support group will understand how much the inability of some family members and friends to be with you and your care receiver now hurts, how hard it is to remain patient with some of your care receiver's behaviors, and how frustrating trying to "navigate the system" to get affordable assistance can be.
Some support group members also attend some other groups. You are more likely to hear about caregiver workshops that might provide further support.
PLEASE VOTEAre you a member of a caregiver support group?
- Become more knowledgeable.
The web today brings to you a vast knowledge database to help you cope with your situation. Surf the web to find more information. Books from either your local library or bookstore can also be sources for emotional support. The more you know, the more less alone you will feel – the more you can cope with your situation.
- Use a Journal
Write out your anger in your journal. The more you write down your frustrations, the better you will feel.
- Family and Friends can help
Express yourself openly and honestly with people you feel should be doing more to help. Share your concerns with a friend. Your family and friends can provide needed relief when you need it.
- Join a support group, or start one.
- Counseling
Consider counseling to deal with the natural feelings that come with caregiving, especially heavy-duty caregiving for someone whose mental and physical health is deteriorating. Among these are anger, frustration, sadness, anxiety, and guilt. Some feelings are part of the grieving process you and your care receiver are experiencing.
- A counselor can help you see things clearly and set goals for maintaining your own life while caregiving. It's a good idea to talk with one while in the midst of caregiving. Unfortunately, many caregivers don't take time for counseling until their caregiving days are over.
- Counselors have a variety of educational backgrounds. They include psychiatrists, who are medical doctors and who can prescribe medications if you need them but who may refer you to a different type of counselor to " talk things over," psychotherapists, psychologists, licensed mental health counselors, licensed clinical social workers, clergy, and more.
- If you are a working caregiver, counseling may be provided as part of your health insurance package. Many health insurance providers use a subcontractor to provide counseling services, so you may not see a listing in your health insurance directory. Call your health insurance provider. Employee Assistance Programs (EAP's), for those companies that offer them, may also cover counseling.
- Feeling your emotions is Ok
When things really get bad, remember that it is ok to cry. Allow yourself to feel your emotions without guilt. They are natural and very human.
Maintaining your Spiritual self
Keeping in touch with your spiritual self is important if you want to be whole. If you are a person of faith, make sure that you keep in touch with your faith community. You have to set aside time for prayers and reflections.
Music can also help in maintaining your spiritual self. Music is good for you and for the person for whom you are caring. Music is called the universal language, connecting us with our inner feelings and with other humans in a way that words alone cannot. Music can be relaxing for you, and it can make working with your care receiver easier. Music is helpful for pain management. Stroke survivors who have lost some of their ability to articulate or use words (aphasia) may get their lost words back by singing. Persons with Alzheimer's disease may play instruments and create songs. Even people with late stage Alzheimer's disease may still respond to music. A person who fights having a shower may follow you to the bathroom if singing, making your life easier. Since music that is invigorating to one person can cause agitation in another, try wireless headphones or personal audiotape, CD or MP3 players with headphones if you and your care receiver like different types of music.
Reminiscing with music may trigger long-term memory. This can be enjoyable for the care receiver and the caregiver.
Related Articles
- Caregiver Burnout for Alzheimer’s Caregivers
- Caregiver Burnout Challenge
- Baby Boomer Women Sandwiched Between Caring for Parents & Children
- A Caregiver's Guide to Alzheimer's Disease
- The Benefits of a Caregiver Support Group
