Martha is working round the clock. She is feeling exhaustive but had no time to take a break. She has to now prepare the meals, and at the same time has to ensure that her mother has taken the medicines. Yes, she is a family caregiver, and the pandemic has taken a toll on her health. The fear of getting infected and the continuous reminder that she has to safeguard the health of her loved ones is too much! It is no more a hidden fact that most caregivers experience burnout, but you can avoid the same during a pandemic by following these essential tips.
Pay attention to your health
During a pandemic, when you can’t afford to not in your best health, it is wise to pay attention before things become out of control. So, have a well-balanced diet to boost your immunity. Follow all the CDC recommendations to protect yourself from COVID-19. Take adequate sleep. Try to delegate the caregiving duties among other family members. If you are unable to squeeze out time for self-care, ask help from your neighbors, friends, or even colleagues. Consider investing in some quality caregiving gadgets (if possible).
Don’t feel guilty
When you become a caregiver all of a sudden or because of your own choice, you experience a myriad of emotions. Some of these are anger, boredom, fear, grief, frustration, guilt, and so on. Things become worst when there is no improvement in the health of the care recipient, or you end up being too impatient with him or her. However, this is not your fault. You can’t be perfect round the clock. Believe yourself, you are doing the best that you can.
Protect your mental health
Listen to your favorite music, talk to a friend, join a caregiver community, do regular exercise, or meditation to protect your mental health. If you are caregiving to a person with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, it becomes more important to protect your emotional wellbeing. Try to understand that you are not alone in your caregiving journey. There are several caregiver support resources to help you in overcoming your challenges. You can never know from where you get help. So, be optimistic. Try to socialize and share your feelings with your trusted friends. This will help you to avoid caregiver depression, which many caregivers experience when they feel isolated or are criticized by relatives.
Remember, caregiver burnout does not happen overnight. It happens in certain stages. If you don’t know what they are, you may probably never know that you are gradually heading towards burnout. So, keep an eye on caregiver burnout symptoms such as loss of appetite, difficulty in sleeping, social withdrawal, and so on.
The silver lining is that you don’t have to panic at all. You can opt for a short online caregiver burnout quiz to find out whether you need help or not. It will only take a few minutes, but can be life-transforming!
Martha is working round the clock. She is feeling exhaustive but had no time to take a break. She has to now prepare the meals, and at the same time has to ensure that her mother has taken the medicines. Yes, she is a family caregiver, and the pandemic has taken a toll on her health. The fear of getting infected and the continuous reminder that she has to safeguard the health of her loved ones is too much! It is no more a hidden fact that most caregivers experience burnout, but you can avoid the same during a pandemic by following these essential tips. When I started taking Accutane, I noticed that the condition of my skin became better. Nevertheless, one giant pimple periodically appeared in the course of treatment! I had to apply ointment to get rid of it. Then it came out in the form of pus, sorry for such details. There were strong side effects from Accutane pills. My eyes were red, my lips chap and my skin around the lips was peeling, as well as entire facial skin. That’s why I smeared my face and used eye drops. I had a feeling that I was treating one problem, but crippling another one. My conclusion: I’ve managed to get rid of acne, but I still continue to take the pills. Pay attention to the side effects. I have not written about the side effects that are described in the manual: depression, aggression, etc. I have experienced them, though I can’t say that they were caused by Accutane.
Pay attention to your health
During a pandemic, when you can’t afford to not in your best health, it is wise to pay attention before things become out of control. So, have a well-balanced diet to boost your immunity. Follow all the CDC recommendations to protect yourself from COVID-19. Take adequate sleep. Try to delegate the caregiving duties among other family members. If you are unable to squeeze out time for self-care, ask help from your neighbors, friends, or even colleagues. Consider investing in some quality caregiving gadgets (if possible).
Don’t feel guilty
When you become a caregiver all of a sudden or because of your own choice, you experience a myriad of emotions. Some of these are anger, boredom, fear, grief, frustration, guilt, and so on. Things become worst when there is no improvement in the health of the care recipient, or you end up being too impatient with him or her. However, this is not your fault. You can’t be perfect round the clock. Believe yourself, you are doing the best that you can.
Protect your mental health
Listen to your favorite music, talk to a friend, join a caregiver community, do regular exercise, or meditation to protect your mental health. If you are caregiving to a person with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, it becomes more important to protect your emotional wellbeing. Try to understand that you are not alone in your caregiving journey. There are several caregiver support resources to help you in overcoming your challenges. You can never know from where you get help. So, be optimistic. Try to socialize and share your feelings with your trusted friends. This will help you to avoid caregiver depression, which many caregivers experience when they feel isolated or are criticized by relatives.
Remember, caregiver burnout does not happen overnight. It happens in certain stages. If you don’t know what they are, you may probably never know that you are gradually heading towards burnout. So, keep an eye on caregiver burnout symptoms such as loss of appetite, difficulty in sleeping, social withdrawal, and so on.
The silver lining is that you don’t have to panic at all. You can opt for a short online caregiver burnout quiz to find out whether you need help or not. It will only take a few minutes, but can be life-transforming!