Caregiving For the Elderly and Managing Caregiver Fatigue

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Angela Wilson | UAB Community Health and Human Services Intern

Photo by Andrea

Seniors are living longer these days, and more people live to be 100 years old. That is excellent news regarding longevity, reducing loneliness, and having a sense of purpose. Many of our elderly are cared for in the comfort of their homes by their children, grandchildren, or other family members or friends.  They are often loved, admired, and even cherished by their caregivers, but caring for them sometimes can become exhausting.

As more adult children choose to take care of their aging parents and opt out of nursing homes, the stress, fatigue, and physical demands put upon them can be wearing. Caregivers have many responsibilities when providing for the elderly. They must ensure they take their medications, prepare food, clean, and maintain their rooms, ensure they are bathed, and perform a plethora of other tasks daily.  With all these obligations, it can be easy for caregivers to neglect their own needs.   Caregivers are often sleep-deprived and tired; some even forget to eat. They can experience anger, sadness, frustration, isolation, depression, and resentment toward their loved ones. When this happens, it is usually time for the caregiver to take a break and care for themselves.  After all, if the caregiver is not taking care of themselves, they will be unable to provide adequate care for their loved one.

Caregivers should ask for help.  There are usually siblings or other family members or friends who can watch their loved one so they can walk outside, have dinner with friends, or see a movie. There are also local support groups that can provide encouragement, validation, and other viable resources.  Most communities offer respite care, including in-home help from health care aides, adult centers, and even short-term nursing homes so the caregiver can get away. Getting help and addressing your needs as a caregiver may make you feel recharged and give you a much-needed energy boost to manage your caregiver duties better. So, not only does taking care of yourself benefit the caregiver, but your loved one will also benefit from it!

References

Robinson, L. et al. (2023). Family Caregiving. Helpguide.org. https://www.helpguide.org.

American Psychological Association. (2014). Positive Aspects of Caregiving. https://www.apa.org

Relieve Caregiver Stress

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By Jessica Feagin, Intern and UAB Community Health and Human Services Student

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

A caregiver can be anyone who provides help and care to another person in need, such as a sick spouse/partner, disabled child, or an aging relative. Being a caregiver can be rewarding just by the act of being there for a loved one in need; however, sometimes, a shift in emotions can occur. Those emotions can include exhaustion, frustration, sadness, loneliness, and anger. Caregiver stress is the physical and emotional stress of caregiving, which is common (Mayo Clinic, 2022).

Risk for caregiver stress are higher among women. Some of the risks associated are social isolation, lack of coping skills, lack of choice in being a caregiver, depression, and long hours spent caregiving. Being a caregiver can make you so focused on others that you do not realize you are suffering from caregiver stress. Some signs of caregiver stress could be: frequent tiredness, constantly feelings of worry, not getting enough sleep, gaining/losing weight, sadness, frequent headaches, bodily pain, and abusing alcohol or drugs. Too much stress can harm your health and increase your risk of medical problems (Mayo Clinic, 2022).

Here are some tips that were provided by actual caregivers off of social media on how they manage the stress and pressure of caregiving (Sealy et al., 2022):

  • Eat Right
  • Get Enough Sleep
  • Exercise
  • Meditation
  • Do a Little Coloring
  • Have a Healthy Dose of Laughter
  • Get Social
  • Start Journaling
  • Get a Pet
  • Just Say “No”
  • Reclaim Your Identity
  • Prioritize Your Own Medical Needs
  • Ask For and Accept Help

I can relate to some of the tips that were provided. Before my daughter passed in April, I was her mother, nurse, and caregiver. I am a professional nurse at a hospital and had to take care of my daughter at home. She was diagnosed with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, cerebral palsy, seizures, quadriplegic, developmentally delayed, and vision and hearing impaired. She also had a tracheostomy, feeding tube, and was oxygen dependent. My husband and I had to provide total care for our daughter. It was vital for us to manage caregiver stress to take care of her and ourselves properly. These tips are helpful, and most importantly, do not be afraid to ask for and accept help. You cannot do it alone! If you have ever had to be a caregiver, professionally or personally, how did you relieve stress and burnout?

 My daughter and I “RIP My Angel”

References

Sealy, K. L., H, L., N., L., Verdone, K., Waguespack, D., Mueller, C., Mckeon, D., Thompson, L., Godwin, D., Riley, A., Goodman, L., Millan, Y., Wong, L., Lyon-Loftus, G. T., & Sautter, N. (2022, April 16). 14 life-changing tips to relieve caregiver stress. CaringBridge. https://www.caringbridge.org/resources/techniques-to-relieve-caregiver-stress/

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, March 22). Practical solutions for caregiver stress. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/caregiver-stress/art-20044784