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Are You On The Verge Of Burnout And In Need Of Caregiver Support?

Taking on the care of a loved one who can no longer care for themselves can be a daunting task. You might feel like your health is being neglected. You likely feel exhausted. And you might feel burdened by constant worry over your loved one’s wellbeing.

Most who become caregivers are unprepared for the emotional, physical, and financial strain. At times you are required to do the work of a trained professional along with having a deep emotional investment. This can make such work even more difficult..

When guilt, shame, and grief reach a critical level you may be heading towards caregiver burnout. These emotions can be complicated and arise for a number of reasons, ranging from feeling guilty for trying to live your own life to guilt for the diminished quality of your loved one’s life. Guilt can also arise from knowing that you aren’t happy taking care of someone, especially if at one point in life they took care of you. Shame can arise if you feel like what you’re doing for your loved one isn’t enough.

On so many levels, caring for another person who can’t care for themselves is daunting. Luckily, there is support for caregivers who want to restore balance to their lives and provide better care for their loved ones at less of an emotional cost.

Many People Experience Caregiver Stress

Most people taking care of a loved one are middle-aged or older, still working, still caring for children, or managing their own health and aging issues. It is normal for people to feel the effects of caregiving on their already-demanding daily lives.

You may feel that you can’t take a vacation or even get a full night’s sleep in case your loved one has a fall or health difficulties. It’s also common to be concerned that if you hire someone from the outside to help, no matter how qualified, they will not look after your loved one the way you can. This struggle to trust anyone else with caregiving can make you feel trapped in this role.

You might feel tethered to your situation, unable to plan any future events or even meet up with friends out of fear of what could happen in your absence. And while you know there are ways to reduce stress and focus on your own wellbeing, all the emotions around caregiving prevent you from doing so.

The fact is, you need and deserve self-care, and while it’s sometimes difficult to give oneself permission to seek help, I am here to support you once you’re ready to take that step.

Counseling For Caregivers Can Return Balance To Your Life

Caregiving is a multi-faceted job that requires a whole slew of skills: medical, financial, legal, interpersonal, and more. The more you can learn how to deal with the present situation, the better prepared you will be.

Self-care is a key need. What does taking care of yourself mean in this situation? Many caregivers I talk to feel like they don’t have the time to engage in self-care. They either feel guilty if they take time for themselves, worry about their loved one and cannot relax, or don’t have the resources or support to take the time away that they need. A good care plan is essential, for yourself and your loved one.

I use my experience working with other caregivers to help inform the care planning process in a way that will help expand upon what you may need in the moment. Once you feel secure about the care plan for your loved one, we can focus on self-restoration.

We can go over options in choosing your care team and discuss how to manage a range of unexpected and difficult care situations. Most importantly, I can support you by coaching you on how to advocate for your loved one with your physician and other care team members.

I can help you troubleshoot problematic behavior patterns your loved one engages in on a day-to-day basis. My extensive training and experience in dementia care, for example, gives me the skills to help formulate a plan to reduce these challenging behaviors without the need for medications.

Sometimes medications are helpful, of course; if that is the case, I can apply my experience with caregiver support to help you monitor its effects. If necessary, I will give you resources or referrals, emotional and practical, to help you become an empowered advocate when working with your loved ones’ care providers, including doctors.

Transitioning into hospice is also a measure we can discuss to determine if and how this should be accomplished.

Together, we can create a sound care plan that provides therapeutic and practical guidance, figure out the needs of the person in your care, and establish your own needs. As we work to put together a care team—which can include an in-home caregiver, physician or physicians, peer support groups, or adult day programs—we can start giving your life balance.

I Am In Need Of Help, But Have Some Doubts…

I don’t have the time to seek help.

Consider that once we have a care plan in place, you will be in a position to relax. With some therapeutic work we can process the overwhelming emotions that compel you to give up all your time to caregiving, which is what may contribute to burnout. Without counseling and therapy, these emotions can become a vicious cycle. You deserve a proper quality of life, both within the caregiving role and outside of it.

What can you do for me? How can I care for others when I can’t even care for myself?

I can give you a nonjudgmental space where you can express feelings you’ve been afraid to admit to and help you work through them. I can even set you up with outside help for caregivers. I am here to give you a space to vent frustration and de-stress so you can come through this with strength and fortitude for the journey ahead.

You may be caring for someone who is terminally ill, or elderly and will eventually pass away while in your care, and I can also counsel you through the feelings of grief and fear during and after that process.

Do you have other resources for caregivers besides yourself?

Yes. As I mentioned earlier, I am well-connected to the caregiving support community and able to help you find all the support you need. Here are a few resources to get you thinking, but I can provide many more as we work together to build your care team.

Resources For Caregivers

There Is Hope For Balance And Peace Of Mind

You deserve to feel rested and peaceful despite this difficult situation. I can help provide the caregiver resources and solid care plan you need to move forward. Please feel free to contact me for a free thirty-minute consultation.