Caregiver Burnout – Symptoms & Treatment

Introduction

A caregiver is a person who takes care of an ill person or an old adult; they can be within the family or friends. When this person (the caregiver) isn’t taken care of properly and exhausts all their energy in taking care of others for a long time, they start to feel tired and pointless; this state is called caregiver burnout. 

Who is a Caregiver?

A caregiver is a person who helps another person with medical or personal needs suffering from a disease, either physically or psychologically, with medical and individual needs. The caregiver might be family or one with a personal relationship with someone who needs aid; hence, the caregiver isn’t necessarily paid. People needing the help might be chronically ill, disabled, hurt, in declining health or older adults.

Role of a Caregiver

In most cases, the caregiver cares for the ill or older adult throughout the day, helping them with all their needs. Some of the activities of the caregiver are,

• Cooking according to the needs of the person in need of attention. 
• Helping with daily schedules like toileting, brushing, bathing, dressing & eating.
• Managing their medicines.
• Managing their finances.
• Running errands
• Communicating their medical condition and needs to the doctors.
• Monitoring their health

What is Caregiver Burnout?

Caregiver burnout is when the person caring for their loved ones gets emotionally, physically and mentally exhausted. It can negatively reflect on a person’s life in many ways, like financially, socially, psychologically and physically. 

When people dedicate their entire time and energy to taking care of a sick family member or a friend for a long time, they forget about their needs and their health, eventually leading to feeling depressed, unappreciated, alone and unsupported. 

This happens as the person tries to give more than they can, draining themselves. Caregiver burnout is harmful as, at some point, the caregiver will not be able to provide care for the sick person as they will need to be looked after, leaving both the caregiver and the caretaker helpless. 

Symptoms of Caregiver Burnout

Initially, Caregiver burnout may be brushed off as tiredness. Still, eventually, when the caregiver becomes more and more exhausted physically and mentally, people start to notice the symptoms. The symptoms may be physical and emotional.

Physical symptoms of caregiver burnout are:

• Insomnia
• Weakened immunity system
• Weight loss
• Increase or decrease in appetite
• Body aches
• Frequent headaches
• Fatigue

Emotional symptoms of caregiver burnout are:

• Mental exhaustion
• Feeling hopeless
• Feeling exhausted
• Feeling anxious
• Feeling impatient
• Feeling irritable and argumentative 
• Lack of concentration
• Loss of interest 
• Emotional isolation

Treatment for Caregiver Burnout

There are many treatment plans for caregiver burnout; they must be followed through with habits and activities. Some of them are,

• Ask for help and get support: It is not easy for caregivers to ask for help, but knowing when to ask for help is essential. Knowing that they need not do everything is essential, and there is no shame in asking for support. The support can be emotional or physical. 

• Talk to other caregivers: It helps to talk to and attend group meetings with other caregivers. This way, the caregiver might feel less alone and share their feelings and stress with others going through the same. 

• Take breaks: Regular breaks are essential as they can help relieve stress and help you refresh. It is also necessary to know your capacity so that you don’t take up more work than what can be handled, leading to feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. 

• Balanced Lifestyle: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle as a caregiver is essential. From eating healthy to exercising and having a good sleep schedule, caregivers must spend time and energy on themselves and maintain a balanced lifestyle. 

• Having a social life: As a caregiver, having a social life is close to impossible, but it is essential to take time for yourself and do the things that make you happy, such as meeting friends or having hobbies. This can help relieve the stress.

• Respite care: In cases where the caregiver needs a break from the routine, they can opt for respite care. Respite care is when the primary caregiver wants to take a break for some time; it can be one hour or even one month. Respite care can be at home, a private facility or a hospital.

• Know and respect your feelings: Caregivers often ignore their needs and feelings for those they care for. But they cannot continue to care for themselves and recognise their feelings. 

Conclusion

Even though caregiver burnout is not an actual illness, it is a condition to be worried about, as when the person taking care of the sick one falls ill themselves, no one benefits from it. The caregivers should care for themselves as it is a requirement and not a luxury. They need to get the medical and psychological needs that are required for their sanity and well-being.

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