Caregiver burden affects many family caregivers of older people or those with illnesses. Signs include sadness, headaches, and resentment. Seeking help is important, and diagnostic procedures are quick. Respite care and social support networks can help alleviate caregiver burden. Community centers offer respite care and support group meetings.
Caregiver burden, or burnout, is a condition that affects many family caregivers. A family caregiver is a relative, friend or partner who provides regular unpaid care for an older person. Caring for the elderly or for people with an illness such as cancer can be stressful, as many home care recipients require help with personal care and may have memory or other additional issues. Signs of caregiver burden may include frequent sadness, headaches, and resentment toward the care recipient. If a caregiver experiences anger or aggression toward the person they care for or has suicidal thoughts, you should immediately seek help from a community organization, licensed therapist, or via an emergency helpline.
It is important to get help identifying and overcoming caregiver burden; it is a common problem as well as a treatable one. Diagnostic procedures to identify burnout or caregiver burden are usually quite quick and informal, such as answering a questionnaire such as the Caregiver Strain Index (CSI). The CSI has 13 questions designed to measure the level of stress caregivers are experiencing in different categories, such as financial and physical strain and time management issues.
Once the caregiver burden is identified, you can learn how to deal with it. Avoiding isolation and socializing with others is important, as is having a social support network. If help is not sought for caregiver stress, caregivers may resort to destructive behaviors, such as alcohol abuse, as they carry the burden of the problem around. Caregivers caring for elderly family members or companions should be aware of the caregiver’s burden and preventive measures.
Many community centers can help arrange respite care for stressed caregivers. Respite care is when a professional caregiver takes over the family caregiver for at least a few hours. This allows the family caregiver to take time off away from home, which can help alleviate much of the burden of caregiving. In some communities, the family caregiver drops the client off at an adult daycare in the morning and picks them up later in the day.
Some community care centers specialize in dealing with clients with certain conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s patients often become disoriented and tend to drift away if they are not constantly monitored. Community center respite care can also provide social opportunities and activities for seniors and other assistance recipients, such as chores or card games. Support group meetings for healthcare professionals at community centers or churches can help prevent healthcare worker burnout by encouraging an exchange of experiences and ideas.
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