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The Stresses of Caregiving
“I don’t have time to take care of myself”
Sound familiar?
If so, you may be at risk. As a caregiver, you devote a significant amount of time and energy to the person you care for. You are likely to experience moments of stress, sometimes severe.
REMEMBER…….YOU ARE IMPORTANT TOO!
What is caregiver stress?
Caregiver stress is a daily fact of life for many caregivers. Caregiving often takes a great deal of time, effort, and work. Many caregivers struggle to balance caregiving with other responsibilities including full-time jobs and caring for children. Constant stress can lead to "burnout" and health problems for the caregiver. Caregivers may feel guilty, frustrated, and angry from time to time.
Caregivers often need help caring for an elderly or disabled care receiver. Sometimes other family members or friends and neighbors are able to help, but many caregivers do most or all of the caregiving for a loved one alone. Research has shown that caregivers often are at increased risk for depression and illness. This is especially true if they do not receive enough support from family, friends, and the community.
Caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or other kinds of dementia at home can be overwhelming. The caregiver must cope with declining abilities and difficult behaviors. Basic activities of daily living often become hard to manage for both the care receiver and the caregiver. As the disease worsens, the care receiver usually needs 24-hour care.
What can caregivers do to prevent stress and burnout?
Caregivers can call upon others for support and assistance. Other family members, friends, and neighbors may be able to help in different ways. It may not be easy to ask for help, and you may need to make very specific requests. But getting help from others will benefit you and the person you are caring for.
Respite care can be a good way to get a break (respite) from constant caregiving. If other caregivers aren't available to fill in for the main caregiver, respite care services may be available in the community.
As a caregiver, you can take steps to take care of your own health:
• Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and low in saturated fat. Ask your health care provider about taking a multivitamin as well.
• Try to get enough sleep and rest.
• Find time for some exercise most days of the week. Regular exercise can help reduce stress and improve your health in many ways.
• See your health care provider for a checkup. Talk to your provider about symptoms of depression or illness that you may be having. Get counseling if needed.
• Stay in touch with friends. Social activities can help keep you feeling connected and help with stress. Faith-based groups can offer support and help to caregivers.
• Find a support group for other caregivers in your situation (such as caring for a person with dementia). Many support groups are available online through the Internet.
Warning Signs For Stress
Denial
Anger
Social Withdrawal
Anxiety
Depression
Exhaustion
Sleeplessness
Irritability
Lack of Concentration
Health Problems
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience
in which you really stop and look fear in the face. You are able to
say to yourself, "I lived through this. I can take anything that comes along."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
Here are some good suggestions to help reduce stress everyone can use
Cut Stress in Your Life
Stress is the body's physical, mental, and chemical reaction to circumstances that frighten, excite, confuse, endanger, or irritate us.
The cause of stress can be good or bad. It can be a truck wheeling around a corner toward us, a move to a new home, loud music, a marriage or divorce, plus a host of other things such as a new person to date, trouble at work, or a meeting with potential in-laws.
Take charge of your life and follow these basic principles to help handle personal and business stress. Review this list periodically and add to it as you become aware of other ways to reduce stress in your own life.
Twenty-five Ways to Eliminate Stress!
1. Have fun to reduce stress.
Do things for the sheer fun of it. Each day, plan to something "just for you." Even if you only have 30 minutes of fun time, don't let anything stop you from your 30 minutes. Find the “kid” inside you whenever possible and have fun! Sing out loud in the shower! Dig in the dirt! Play catch with a child! Dress up the next time you go out for dinner….so many possibilities! Having fun recharges those batteries!
2. Laugh to reduce stress.
Interact with people who make you laugh to reduce tension and boost the immune system. Learn not to take life so seriously. Smile with your mouth and eyes, and smile while you are talking on the phone. People will notice the change in you.
3. Learn to say "no" to reduce stress.
When requests and invitations become a burden instead of being enjoyable, it is time to say "no." If you believe a request could damage your own mental well-being, say “NO”
4. Simplify your life to reduce stress.
Move closer to your work, hire a maid, order out once a week or shop by internet. Clean out the clutter in your home and your life. Make lists, but throw them away when you completed the tasks. Organize so that everything has its place. You will feel better.
5. Delegate responsibility to reduce stress.
Sharing duties allows time together and gets the job done faster. Don’t assume people know what you want done. Come right out and tell them what you need.
6. Learn to disconnect, let go and relax.
Try to visualize calming scenes; bring a calming picture to work and practice work station meditation. Stretch and take deep breaths. Play your favorite music. Take a brisk walk. Soak in the tub. Find a tool that you use can use to disconnect from stress going on around you so that you are able to relax.
7. To reduce stress, don't be a workaholic.
Find a healthy balance between work and play.
8. Break tasks into segments to reduce stress.
Break down tasks into easy-to-handle segments and problems. It is easier to eat an elephant one bite at a time.
9. Keep your job skills current to reduce stress.
If your job skills are up date, new work tasks will be easier for you and also help with advancement.
10. Take care of your family and friends to reduce stress.
Having relationships in your life is less stressful.
11. Examine work habits to reduce stress.
If you are constantly stressed at work, examine your work habits. Maybe you are wasting time.
12. Drink water.
Consume 8-10 glasses of pure water daily.
13. Eat sensibly to reduce stress
Eat healthier foods and be aware of bad eating habits.
14. Get quality sleep to reduce stress.
Sleep is an essential recovery mechanism. Sleep on your back or sides, not on your stomach. Go to bed on time. Before you drift off to sleep, think of all the things in your life you are grateful for.
15. Stop smoking.
Stop smoking and don’t use drugs. Limit alcohol and caffeine. Remember that food is a drug, also.
16. Schedule time to reduce stress.
Allow enough time to reach the place or goal you wish without rushing. Schedule time just for you to relax every day. Take One day at a time, pace yourself and slow down!
17. Exercise regularly to reduce stress.
Take a vigorous walk, jog, or swim for an average of 20 minutes daily or 45 minutes three times a week.
18. Control your attitude to reduce stress.
About the only part of your life you can control completely is your own attitude. One BIG Tip is to keep quiet when you should not or don’t need to be involved in someone else’s business. Bite that tongue if you have to! Be kind to unkind people- (they probably need it the most.) Develop a forgiving attitude- (Most people are really trying the best they can) Be genuine and always say exactly what you mean… in a nice way.
Here is a great exercise to try at home: Next time a telemarketer calls, answer in a happy, bubbly voice - interrupt their script right away and say- “Hi! Listen, I am a very busy person and not interested, but I hope you sure have a GREAT day! “And hang up. You need to know that that person is sitting in a cubicle somewhere in the world smiling. You may even find yourself smiling for handling that call so well.
19. Be prepared to reduce stress.
Don't stick your head in the sand. There are always going to be bumps in the road of life. Being prepared stops stress in advance. Have backups-keep extra keys, stamps, money, emergency numbers handy. Keep vital information in a folder or box so you can grab at a moments notice.
20. Think positive to reduce stress.
If something is stressful, make a list of every positive aspect of your situation. This doesn't mean you should go through life as a Pollyanna, however. Then you will rarely, if ever, be prepared--see number 19!
21. Improve yourself to reduce stress.
Broaden your knowledge through reading, seminars, and self- improvement courses. Carry a backpack with a book and read when you wait in line. Talk less and listen more- you’ll learn a great deal that way.
22. Live within your means to reduce stress.
Constantly overspending and worrying about money is definitely stressful.
23. Save money to reduce stress.
Knowing you have a "nest egg" makes you less stressed.
24. Consider a career change to reduce stress.
Burnout can be very stressful. If that has happened to you, consider changing careers.
25. Handle stress now to reduce stress.
Putting off stressful events only makes them more stressful. Settle matters that are troubling you "as they occur." Procrastination usually leads to increased stress.
You’ll feel better if you don't procrastinate.
Bonus: Choose quality friends to reduce stress.
It is important to have friends you can trust and be yourself with. Ask friends for help instead of being too self-reliant.
Depression Questionnaire
The attached DEPRESSION QUESTIONNAIRE has 16 simple questions that may help identify common symptoms of depression. The results can be a helpful way to discuss your condition with your healthcare provider and actually help him/her diagnose your condition. After answering the questions provided on the following pages, print the completed questionnaire and discuss any concerns with your doctor.
As with any medical illness or condition, only your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional can provide a diagnosis of depression. The following questionnaire is intended to help you discuss symptoms with a qualified healthcare professional. This questionnaire is not intended to serve as a substitute for a diagnosis of depression by a qualified healthcare professional. If you think you may have depression, you should visit your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional as soon as possible.
Complete the questionnaire and take the results to your doctor.
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