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Nanaimo News Bulletin
February 10, 2007
Avoiding burnout among caregivers
As our population continues to age, more and more individuals are thrust into caregiving roles.
Nationally, almost one quarter of households are now involved in caring for a senior family member, spending an average of 20 hours per week performing caregiving duties.
Locally, as over 16 per cent of Nanaimo residents are seniors, we can be sure that a significant portion of our population is involved in the care of aging family members.
What’s more is that the majority of these caregivers are also employed outside the home, further increasing their stress levels.
Balancing commitments to work and aging loved ones can be an extremely trying ordeal and in many situations leads to what is known as ‘caregiver burnout’, a condition involving fatigue, stress, anxiety and depression.
While these caregivers are doing their best to take care of their aging loved ones, many tend to forget to care for themselves.
“Most caregivers who struggle with the stresses of their duties tend to feel guilty even for simply complaining,” said Kristan Ash, director of operations for Nurse Next Door Home Healthcare Services.
To help caregivers better handle the stresses of their roles and to avoid suffering a burnout, Ash outlines a few suggestions:
Enjoy yourself
While this may sound like a pretty obvious suggestion, Ash points out that is the most often over-looked suggestion.
“If you’re caring for your mom or dad, its really easy to feel like your time would be better spent caring for them, but it is important to realize that caring for yourself is just as important,” she said.
Stay healthy
The happiest people are usually the healthiest and those who eat well and exercise tend to handle stress the best. Ash suggests that caregivers make it a point to develop a healthy diet and a regular exercise schedule to ensure they maintain a good quality of life.
Socialize
“Make time for outings with friends or family. If this isn’t possible, invite them over to spend time at your house.”
Sharing the caregiving load with close friends or other family can not only ease the burden but can make the experience more enjoyable.
Get help
According to Ash, it is common for caregivers to feel that they should be the only ones shouldering the caregiving responsibilities yet it is crucial for them to utilize the resources available to them.
“Caregivers should try to include fellow family members to share in the duties as much as possible,” said Ash.
For more information on Nurse Next Door Home Healthcare Services, please visit www.nursenextdoor.ca or call 1-888-988-5880.
