There are few things in life as equally rewarding and challenging as being a caregiver for a loved one. While it’s special and irreplaceable time spent together, it can also take a toll mentally and physically. Knowing the stages of caregiver burnout can help you recognize when you need to take steps to protect your wellbeing and ensure you can continue providing your loved one with the best possible care.
How Common Is Burnout in Family Caregivers?
Burnout can occur in any profession, but it’s particularly common in family caregivers. As well as the demands of caring, many are also working part- or full-time jobs and raising their own children. Others are retired and have less physical strength than they used to.
With so many demands on their time and energy, caregivers often end up sacrificing their own health and mental wellbeing –as many as 70% of family caregivers report symptoms of depression and anxiety. Without adequate support and respite, family caregivers are at a high risk of burnout, which can compromise both their well-being and the quality of care they provide. That’s why it’s crucial to know how to spot the signs of burnout and take steps to get help when needed.
The Stages of Caregiver Burnout
While burnout can impact almost every area of our lives, it’s notoriously difficult to identify it in ourselves. If you think you may be suffering from burnout, try this caregiver burnout quiz or look out for these five main stages of burnout:
1. The Honeymoon This often occurs at the beginning of a caregiver’s journey, when tasks are new and novel and you feel optimistic and enthusiastic. For example, this could be when you are making a new plan for your loved one’s care, putting new skills into practice and perhaps purchasing new items for the home. You feel energetic and productive, and might take on more responsibilities than you realistically can or should.
2. The Onset of Stress This is when things have settled down into a routine and may start to stagnate. Your initial burst of energy is wearing off, and you may start to feel resentful or taken for granted – especially if the job is taking more time and effort than you initially thought it would or cutting into your other priorities. If you’re living with your loved one, you might find it hard to be “off-duty.” This stage is very common for those taking on caregiving after a sudden change, like after a hospital stay.
3. Chronic Stress You may start to feel overwhelmed and powerless as your loved one’s health declines. Fatigue and exhaustion can impact your ability to care for your loved one, and you might notice changes in your weight or sleeping patterns. At this stage, it’s very tempting to reach for unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol, tobacco or food.
4. Burnout You may feel tired and stressed all the time, you’re struggling to fulfill your responsibilities and neglecting your own personal needs. It might also be impacting your relationships with other people, and you become angry or irritated easily and more often. This stage is often accompanied by feelings of failure, self-doubt, pessimism and general apathy.
5. Habitual Burnout The feelings listed at stage four are now just a part of your life. You feel exhausted all the time no matter how much sleep you get, and you are much more likely to be suffering from clinical depression or anxiety. You are also more susceptible to colds, flus and other minor ailments. At this stage, it is very difficult to treat burnout on your own, so it’s time to consider professional intervention and treatment.
Dealing with Caregiver Burnout
Being a caregiver can be hard – and while it’s understandable you want to do everything you can for your loved one, it’s vital that you take care of your own health, too. Joining a community of other caregivers can help feel less isolated, and your primary care physician can help you with strategies for burnout recovery.
Remember, too, that sometimes it’s simply not possible to do everything yourself. If you don’t have another family member who can lighten the load, consider using a professional in-home caregiver – that way, you’ll have time to take care of your other responsibilities without worrying about your loved one at home.
The Benefits of Professional Home Care
With a FirstLight home caregiver, you can get help with anything from chores around the house to personal care, dementia care and even home hospice care. As well as being highly experienced, our caregivers are patient, kind and compassionate, and can fill in for as much time as they are needed.
We also offer respite care, which is a temporary arrangement so that you can take time off only when you need it – for example for your own appointments, for work or a family vacation. Whatever your needs, we’ll do more to ensure your loved one will be safe at home any time you can’t be there.
Why Caregiver Burden Doesn’t Exist With FirstLight
It can be hard to admit to needing help, but if you’re a home caregiver it’s essential not to neglect your own wellbeing. Recognizing the stages of caregiver burnout is key to avoiding feeling stressed and overwhelmed, as is sharing the job with someone you can trust.
At FirstLight, we don’t just care for the individual – we’ll support you and your family as well. If you’d like to learn more about tailoring a care plan that’s unique to you, speak to a member of our friendly team today.