Five Vital Tips to Help Deal with Caregiver Stress

According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, around 34.2 million Americans have provided unpaid care to an adult age 50 or older in the last 12 months. Many of these caregivers also care for other family members, such as children, and work outside the home.

Without assistance from others and appropriate self-care, it’s a recipe for caregiver stress, fatigue and eventual burnout.

In this article, we’re going to talk about recognizing when your stress levels are getting too high and some tips for dealing with caregiver stress.

Everyone copes with stress differently, but if you find yourself experiencing any of the symptoms below then your stress might be progressing to unhealthy levels.

• Feeling run-down or tired often • Difficulty sleeping • Trouble concentrating • Resenting obligations • Not taking care of your own health • Smoking, drinking or eating too much • Cutting back on activities that you usually enjoy

The good news is there are ways to deal with caregiver stress and keep it in check.

No caregiver is perfect and it’s impossible to do everything all the time. Prioritize what you or your family member needs that is most critical and break that down into small, easier-tomanage steps.

It’s okay to say “no” or even just “not right now” to tasks that drain you. You don’t have to cook a homemade meal every single night, host holiday get-togethers or have the most well-kept yard in the neighborhood. Focus on what matters and cut the rest, especially in times of stress.

Very few people can do everything alone. Tap into the network of friends, family and social services around you to lighten your own load. Even if they live far away or can’t help with hands-on care, you can delegate tasks that can be done online or over the phone.

Many state, local and religious organizations also have resources available to help senior adults and caregivers. Why not task a helpful friend or family member to look through what’s available and pick out the most promising services? They can also assist with applications and coordinating services.

If your loved one has experienced unstable health lately, you may find yourself on the phone giving multiple updates to friends and family. While they mean well, it can get exhausting for you to rehash the same information and answer the same questions repeatedly.

You can cut back on your update workload considerably by employing a phone tree (where you update one person and they pass the information to other designated people) or using private websites that allow you to post updates but still have privacy controls like CaringBridge or PostHope.

It’s easy to forget about your own health when you’re busy caring for someone else. Research has shown that caregivers, particularly female caregivers, have lower levels of self-care and higher rates of health problems than non-caregivers.

Developing your own simple routines to get enough sleep, water and exercise can help to improve your health and lower stress. Don’t put off recommended health screenings and checkups. You’ll be a more effective and less-stressed caregiver if you make taking care of your own health a priority as well.

Schedule time for yourself and do not waver. These breaks can be small, like a walk around the block or coffee with a friend while your loved one sleeps. Consider asking a family member to visit for the weekend so you can take time away to recharge.

If you don’t have anyone in your personal circle who can take over caregiving duties on occasion, there are also networks of professionals available. Many communities have resources such as in-home respite care, adult day care centers or programs or senior living communities with short-term stays available.

Taking care of a senior adult can be very rewarding, however there’s no doubt that at times it can also be stressful. Unrelieved stress can build up over time and damage your own health and your ability to care for your loved one.

By prioritizing activities, reaching out for assistance, simplifying communications with friends and family, taking regular breaks from caregiving, and sticking to your own personal health routines, you can reduce the amount of caregiver stress that you feel.

In the long run, this will help both you and your loved one to thrive during potentially difficult times.