Caregiver burnout often builds slowly, and you can catch it in the early stages so you stop it from getting worse. While it’s difficult to admit when you’re facing challenges with your responsibilities, taking some time out for yourself is critical for your wellbeing. If you recognize these six signs of caregiver burnout in your life, it’s time to arrange for respite care so you can renew your joy.
1. Losing Interest in Favorite Activities
Whether you used to love reading or hiking, you should always be wary of losing interest in the things that once made you happy. This sign means you could be developing symptoms of depression along with burnout, and it also means you lack activities in your life that renew your spirit. Ideally, you should have one or two hobbies you look forward to pursuing and the time to enjoy them. If not, you need to plan for some time during your week when you can explore your current and future interests.
2. Experiencing Changes in Sleep Patterns
High-quality sleep is essential for preventing burnout, but stress could easily cause you to sleep too little or too much. Having difficulty falling or staying asleep is a major signal you need to take some time out for yourself. If minor lifestyle changes don’t work, talk to your doctor about your sleep problems to find a solution that helps you feel rested when you wake up.
3. Being Exhausted Most of the Time
Many caregivers describe a general sense of fatigue that permeates their entire day. If you’ve always been energetic but now find the thought of folding laundry makes you feel exhausted, you have too much on your plate. Sit down and be honest about how much you’re doing during the course of a day. Then identify at least three tasks someone else can do so you can take a break.
Family caregivers sometimes need a break from their caregiving responsibilities. When they need respite care, Potomac families can rely on professional caregivers to help their senior loved ones remain safe at home.
4. Pushing Away Family & Friends
You need your support system, but caregiver burnout can make you turn people away. Whether you feel too tired to socialize or are embarrassed about your messy house, this is the time to reach out and accept offers of help. Try to connect with at least one of your other family members or friends once a day. Even a simple phone call could lift your spirits.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your caregiving responsibilities, you don’t have to manage everything on your own. Seniors can face a variety of age-related challenges. Though some families choose to take on the caregiving duties, there may come a time when they need a trusted senior care provider. Families sometimes need respite from their duties so they can focus on their other responsibilities, and some seniors need around-the-clock assistance that their families are not able to provide. Assisting Hands Home Care is here to help.
5. Getting Sick Often
Once caregiving depletes your energy, you may begin to feel the effects of the stress on your immune system. Frequent illnesses are a sign you may not be eating right, exercising, or avoiding unhealthy habits. Being sick also creates a vicious cycle for burnout, since it causes you to get even further behind with your duties.
6. Feeling Hopeless about the Future
A sense of hopelessness is one of the most serious signs of burnout, since it represents a potential shift to developing depression as well. Right now, you may feel as though life will never get better, or you may worry about your loved one’s health getting worse. To manage this symptom, arrange for respite care so you can talk to a counselor. Getting your feelings out and learning how to manage your responsibilities may help you regain the ability to look at the future with excitement.
If you’re experiencing caregiver burnout, consider looking for a professional caregiver who’s compassionate, reliable, and experienced in senior home care. One of the most challenging tasks of helping an elderly relative age in place safely and comfortably is researching agencies that provide home care. Potomac families can turn to Assisting Hands Home Care for reliable, high-quality in-home care for aging adults. We offer 24-hour home care for seniors who require extensive assistance, and we also offer respite care for family caregivers who need a break from their caregiving duties. To learn more about our premier in-home care plans, call us at (301) 363-2580 today.