Caregiver Stress - 10 Essential Tips to Effectively Cope with Stress
If you are a caregiver, you can witness that it is a rewarding experience but also challenging. Caregivers are more likely than the general public to have a chronic illness (82 percent versus 61 percent) and to rate their own health as "fair" or "poor" (34 percent versus 20 percent). Other research has shown that the longer a caregiver is in the role, the more likely he or she is to report a decline in health.
If you are a caregiver, it is normal to feel that you need to be always there for your aging parent or relative. In due time, there is a significant shift in emotions. As highlighted by SeniorLink, you feel exhausted, alone, sad, angry, as well as frustrated. This is due to the physical and emotional stress of caregiving.
Typically, caregiver stress emanates from several factors, such as:
- When the person you are caring for suffers due to an illness.
- Social isolation.
- Financial constraints.
- Placing unreasonable burdens upon yourself.
- Unrealistic expectations about the health as well as the happiness of the patient.
- Spending many hours caregiving.
- Inability to solve some caregiving-related problems.
If you experience caregiver stress, your own health will be affected. The situation may get worse to the extent that you may also need help.
How Do You Tell if You Have Caregiver Stress?
In most instances, caregivers take care of their loved ones without realizing that their own well-being and health are suffering.
As indicated by the Harvard Medical School, caregiver stress manifests in the following ways:
- Feeling sad
- Always fatigued.
- Feeling constantly worried and overwhelmed.
- Becoming highly irritable.
- Change in sleep patterns- You either sleep too much or get insomnia.
- You can experience frequent headaches and some other body pains.
- Changes in body weight- You can lose or gain weight.
- You may start abusing drugs.
- You lose interest in almost everything, especially activities that you previously enjoyed.
Help Guide highlights that caring for an elder or a loved one with disabilities is a commitment that impacts everyone psychologically — at times in positive ways, and at times in negative ways. If you are overwhelmed, you should never feel guilty for asking for outside help.
Strategies for Coping with Caregiver Stress
#10. Visit a Doctor Regularly
Make it a habit of visiting a physician occasionally, and never forget to mention that you are a caregiver. Always feel free to mention stress symptoms that you may be experiencing. Share your concerns as well as ask for their advice about how to cope with everyday stress.
#9. Develop New Coping Tools
The best coping mechanism is accepting your feelings. Just know that it is okay to feel frustrated, guilty, and angry. If you feel as if you have failed, it doesn't mean you are a terrible caregiver. Maintain a positive mindset about everything. When you feel stressed, use humor to deal with the situation.
#8. Continually Talk to a Professional
When stress is too much, make an appointment with a professional. This can be a clergy member from your local church. You can also look for a social worker or a trained counselor. They can help you overcome most of your emotional issues.
#7. Prioritize Your Health
In other words, set personal health goals. You can do this by creating a schedule for exercising. You can also establish a sleep routine. Create a menu to ensure that you always eat healthily. Embark on other healthy practices, such as drinking a lot of water, meditation, as well as doing things that interest you.
#6. Join a Local Support Group
In most societies, there are support groups for people who share a common problem. If you look around, you will always find a group for caregivers. Join it and attend their meetings. According to Cleveland Clinic, these groups create helpful forums for people to share their experiences, best practices, as well as challenges. Furthermore, some of the most meaningful friendships are established in support groups.
#5. Get Social Support
Instead of staying in isolation, be more connected. Create time to visit family members and friends. Go for a walk, jogging, bike riding, or swimming with your best friend. Talk to them and share your concerns with them. These people may not offer much, but they are essential sources of emotional support.
#4. Look for Community Training Resources
In most cases, we are overwhelmed because we don't know how to best take care of our aging parents. Attend a class about the condition that your elderly parent or relative is facing. Look for available community training resources as well as learn a few things about elderly or disabled care. Such training will enable you better understand how aging or disability affects the body. It will give you the skills and knowledge necessary to provide effective care with much ease, relieving you a significant amount of pressure and anxiety.
#3. Always Set Goals
By setting goals, you can outline all the tasks that need to be completed within a day or week. This helps you to prioritize as well as establish a daily routine. At the end of the day, you feel that you have done what needed to be accomplished. This gives you a significant sense of satisfaction, and you get relaxed.
#2. Allow Others to Help
It's normal to always want to give our best. However, you are human, and you have limits. Sometimes you may not provide everything. No one is perfect, after all. Give yourself some allowance, and don't feel guilty when you don't hit the mark. Just do your best and don't pursue perfection.
#1. Hire In-Home Help
Sometimes, even the strongest need help. There are many persons, including family members and friends, who are always willing to help. Reach out to them and see how they can assist. You can always find someone offering to take care of the elderly person for a day or two. Also, you may find another person who may volunteer to cook, clean, or go shopping on your behalf.
Reach out to Senior Helpers, the nation's premier provider of in-home senior care, with locations all across the country.
Caregiving is stressful. So, don't hesitate to ask for help when you feel overwhelmed. However strong you feel, there are times you will feel alone, depressed, and frustrated. Always talk to someone and look for local resources for caregivers. Sometimes, you may even need a break.
If you need any caregiving help, please contact us. Our compassionate caregivers are trained to care for your loved ones as if they were our own family. Call us at (414) 404-9933 to see how Senior Helpers can help you!