Caregiver Burnout: How to Manage self care. As our loved ones age, there may come a time for us to step into the role of caregiver. While we would do anything to help them, we sometimes forget to help ourselves. This can cause the phenomenon known as caregiver burnout.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Amanda LaRose, a licensed social worker and case manager, who is the owner of We Care Management based in Loudoun County, Virginia. Together, we discussed many tips, such as using a essential oils, to manage self care and avoid caregiver burnout.
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Tips to Avoiding Caregiver Burnout
Caregiver Burnout is a condition in which physical and mental exhaustion overcome you and in some situations cause you to be unable to function normally, much like a state of depression. For more information about Care Giver Burnout, read our other post HERE.
Keep reading for our top 3 tips to avoid caregiver burnout.
Tip #1 – Ask for help. Don’t be shy or embarrassed to ask for support for yourself while caring for others. If you have too much on your plate it is okay to reach out to other family or a health care professional to help you. Take advantage of other resources if you need to.
Tip #2 – Take care of yourself. Remember to take time to do things for yourself. For example, when you take a plane, they explain to put your air mask on first and then help someone else. You need to be in a healthy state mentally and physically prior to being able to help your loved one.
Tip #3 – Learn about your loved ones diagnosis. Knowing about the condition that your loved one is suffering from (such as Alzheimer’s) can help you better understand and support your loved one. Additionally, it can make it easier to relate and help them when they are struggling daily.
How to Help Ease Negative Feelings while Caring for Your Loved One
While caring for our loved one it is very common to experience many emotions including anxiety, depression, anger and grief to name a few. It is difficult to watch our loved ones change.
Also, having the responsibility of caring for them and worrying if you are doing the right things is normal. Here are some ways to help you to deal with any negative feelings you may be experiencing.
- Seek counseling
- Join a support group. It does not have to be a physical in person group. There are many online resources such as Caring Bridge.
- Find an outlet for your anger such as exercising
- Ensure ways to relax, such as using Essential Oils Diffuser or essential oil bath bombs (Lavender is a fantastic stress reliever!)
Remember, it is normal to have these feelings but it is important to take care of yourself so that you can continue to care for your loved one.