Tips For Adult Children
Avoid Caregiver Burnout
Senior Helpers, which provides a wide variety of New Jersey home care services, understands the strain on caregivers when they are the sole source of their loved one’s senior care. New Jersey residents in Monmouth and Middlesex counties will find support, as well as top-of-the-line professional home care services, when they reach out to Senior Helpers.
Caregiver burnout can occur when caregivers (usually a child) don’t get the help they need, or if they try to do more than they are able. While your aging loved one needs more care from you, doing so can make managing the demands of your own life very stressful and tiring. Caregivers often are so busy caring for others that they tend to neglect their own emotional, physical and spiritual health. The demands on a caregiver's body, mind, and emotions can easily seem overwhelming, leading to fatigue and hopelessness - and ultimately, burnout. Caregivers who are burned out may experience fatigue, stress, anxiety, depression and loss of work.
Senior Helpers, your New Jersey home health care service, offers the following advice for caregivers:
Tips to Prevent Caregiver Burn-out
- Find someone you trust, such as a friend, co-worker or neighbor, to talk about your feelings and frustrations.
- Set realistic goals: Accept that you may need help with caregiving, and turn to others for help with some tasks.
- Be realistic about your loved one’s situation, especially if it is a progressive disease like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.
- Educate yourself about senior care. NJ based Senior Helpers has a wealth of information to help you understand your loved one’s situation.
- Understand that people process their emotions differently. One relative may become upset when it comes to your loved one’s care, while another may blossom under a new-found leadership role.
- Don’t take out your frustrations on your loved ones, no matter how hurtful their words may become. Dementia and Alzheimer’s patients may accuse their closest caregivers of stealing, abuse, and other situations that aren’t true.
- Don't forget about yourself! Set aside time for yourself, even if it’s just an hour or two. I Remember, taking care of yourself is NOT a luxury – it is an absolute necessity!
As you have watched your parents age, if you are seeing a decline in cognitive abilities as a result of Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, or a shift in a medical condition that requires increased elder care, New Jersey based Senior Helpers is here to provide you with the assistance you need. There is no need to go it alone! We encourage you to schedule a complimentary in-home care assessment in person, with you and your loved one to discuss our caregivers with you - as well as the New Jersey home health care services we provide to give you the respite you deserve!
