Preventing Caregiver Burnout
Approximately 34.2 million Americans have provided unpaid care for a person who is 50 or older in the last year. While almost half of those people care for someone with Alzheimer’s, there are many different reasons that a person may find themselves in a caregiving role. The tasks that caregivers do can vary widely, including helping people transfer safely, shopping, personal care, and medical care. Many are responsible for adjusting care as needed, communicating with health care professionals, and being the disabled or sick person’s advocate. While the role of caregiving can be very stressful, most admit that they proudly do these tasks. At the same time, it is vital that the caregiver take care of themselves. Use these tips to prevent or lessen caregiver stress in your life.
Learn About Community Resources
There is a wide range of community resources available in Orlando to help caregivers. For example, disabled adults may be able to receive help through Meals on Wheels. There are many adult daycare programs available for those times when you need to getaway. You may also find that your loved one qualifies for home health care. If the individual has received a life-ending diagnosis, then consider Hospice, which can be available for six months or longer.
Use Relaxation Techniques
Many relaxation techniques can be useful in helping relief caregiver stress. Try to find a place where you can be by yourself for 20 minutes and take a pretend trip to a beautiful location. Many people find that using guided meditation is a great way to relax, and it can occur in as little as 15 minutes. Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth can help relieve stress. Google even has a guide to help you breathe at the right time if you search for “deep breathing.” Progressive muscle relaxation may be something that you can do with the person you are providing care to that will help you both relax.
Release Emotions
Caregiving can be physically as well as emotionally draining. Therefore, you need to find a safe way to release your emotions before they cause you to suffer caregiver burnout. Try to set aside some time each day to write out about what you are feeling. Getting at least 10 minutes of physical activity every day can release dopamine into your body, helping you feel better.
There are many benefits of getting individual counseling in Orlando when you are the caregiver. It gives you a safe space to release your emotions without feeling pressure from family members who do not understand how your role is changing. It can also give you helpful suggestions to help prevent caregiver burnout. Often, during individual counseling in Orlando, the counselor can guide you to other resources in the community that can help. Contact Orlando Thrive Therapy to set up an appointment today.
