While each care giving situation is different, caregivers are
likely to experience enormous stress from their responsibilities in caring for a
loved one. Many caregivers report feeling more anxious and/or sad while others
relate that they experience an increase in physical ailments due to the stress
of care giving. Many caregivers do not recognize they need help until the
problems seem overpowering and/or unsolvable. For this reason, identifying
stress and finding practical ways to cope are especially important.
What are the signs
of caregivers’ stress?
Denial about the
level of stress involved in being a caregiver
Anger at the loved
one for needing continual care
Social withdrawal
from family, friends and activities that once brought pleasure
Anxiety about
facing another day and what the future holds
Feelings of
depression that drain energy and affect the ability to cope
Exhaustion that
makes it nearly impossible to complete necessary daily tasks
Sleeplessness
caused by worry, feelings of guilt and a never-ending list of concerns
Irritability that
can lead to pessimism and negativity
Lack of
concentration that makes it difficult to perform familiar tasks
Health problems
that take their toll on mental and physical functioning
Ways to reduce
caregivers stress?
Know the resources
are available in your community.
Become educated on
the disease and care giving techniques.
Get involved with
local support groups.
Get help from
family, friends and community resources.
Take care of
yourself! Watch your diet, exercise and get plenty of rest.
Manage your level
of stress by consulting a physician and using relaxation techniques.
Accept changes as
they occur.
Do legal and
financial planning early in the disease process.
Be realistic about
what you can do.
Give yourself
credit, not guilt, if you lose patience or can’t do everything on your own.
What resources are
available to help caregivers cope? There are many resources available to assist caregivers. They include
services such as:
Information and
assistance to provide caregivers with valuable resource and referral
information;
Respite care
services to give caregivers relief from care giving;
Adult day health
services to help loved ones reach the highest level of functioning possible;
and
Support groups to
provide caregivers with suggestions from peers to make care giving easier.
