Take advantage of respite care services that provide professional caregivers to step in and care for your loved one. This allows you to take a well-deserved break and recharge.

When caregiver stress affects your health, relationships, or work, contact your doctor or a therapist. They have the resources and tools to help you manage your stress. As a caregiver, taking care of yourself and prioritizing your own health is essential.

Left unchecked, caregiver stress can affect your ability to provide effective and compassionate care—and increase the risk of accidents or errors.

At Traditions Health, we understand the challenges of caregiving. Our team of compassionate healthcare professionals provides diagnosis-specific education and medication management to empower you and your loved one to better manage their health. Contact us today to learn more about our services.

Careers Privacy Breach Request Care. Request Care Careers Privacy Breach. The demands of caregiving can be exhausting and overwhelming. But there are steps you can take to rein in stress and regain a sense of balance, joy, and hope in your life. While caring for a loved one can be very rewarding, it also involves many stressors.

And since caregiving is often a long-term challenge, the emotional impact can snowball over time. You may face years or even decades of caregiving responsibilities. If the stress of caregiving is left unchecked, it can take a toll on your health, relationships, and state of mind—eventually leading to burnout, a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion.

Generally, stress can feel overwhelming, but burnout feels more like chronic exhaustion. Learning to recognize the signs of caregiver stress and burnout is important, so you can take immediate action to prevent things from becoming worse and start improving the situation for both you and the person you're caring for.

While caring for a loved one will never be stress-free, the following tips can help you to lighten the load, avoid the symptoms of caregiver burnout, and find more balance in your life.

Feeling powerless is the number one contributor to burnout and depression. This is especially true when it comes to your state of mind. Practice acceptance. And at the end of the day, you won't feel any better. Try to avoid the emotional trap of feeling sorry for yourself or searching for someone to blame.

Embrace your caregiving choice. Acknowledge that, despite any resentments or burdens you feel, you have made a conscious choice to provide care. Focus on the positive reasons behind that choice. Perhaps you provide care to repay your parent for the care they gave you growing up. These deep, meaningful motivations can help sustain you through difficult times.

Take an organized approach. As a caregiver, you might be responsible for keeping track of important medical and legal papers, medications, and appointment dates. When items get lost or dates get mixed up, feelings of powerlessness can quickly creep in.

Use binders to organize paper documents and folders on your computer to maintain digital information. Look for the silver lining. Think about the ways caregiving has made you stronger or how it's brought you closer to the person you're taking care of or to other family members.

Don't let caregiving take over your life. Since it's easier to accept a difficult situation when there are other areas of your life that are rewarding, it's important not to let caregiving take over your whole existence. Invest in things that give you meaning and purpose whether it's your family, church, a favorite hobby, or your career.

Focus on the things you can control. Break big tasks down into manageable chunks. Thinking about all the caregiving tasks you need to complete this week, for example, can make you feel overwhelmed or uncertain about where to start.

Instead, make a to-do list for each day and begin to work through it one task at a time. Celebrate the small victories. If you start to feel discouraged, remind yourself that all your efforts matter. Feeling appreciated can go a long way toward not only accepting a stressful situation, but enjoying life more.

Studies show that caregivers who feel appreciated experience greater physical and emotional health. Caregiving actually makes them happier and healthier, despite its demands. Imagine how your loved one would respond if they were healthy. Remind yourself that the person would express gratitude if they were able.

Applaud your own efforts. Remind yourself of how much you are helping. If you need something more concrete, try making a list of all the ways your caregiving is making a difference. Refer back to it when you start to feel low. Talk to a supportive family member or friend.

Taking on all of the responsibilities of caregiving without regular breaks or assistance is a surefire recipe for caregiver burnout. Look into respite care. Enlist friends and family who live near you to run errands, bring a hot meal, or watch the patient so you can take a well-deserved break.

Volunteers or paid help can also provide in-home services, either occasionally or on a regular basis. Or you can explore out-of-home respite programs such as adult day care centers and nursing homes. Speak up. Start a dialogue. Spread the responsibility.

Try to get as many family members involved as possible. Even someone who lives far away can help. You may also want to divide up caregiving tasks. One person can take care of medical responsibilities, another with finances and bills, and another with groceries and errands, for example.

Schedule family meetings. During a meeting you might talk about who is covering what expenses and who is available to help on specific days or weeks, for example. This can help reduce any tension or confusion that might crop up between family members.

Set up a regular check-in. Ask a family member, friend, or volunteer from your church or senior center to call you at a regular time daily, weekly, or as often as you think you need it.

This person can help you spread status updates and coordinate with other family members. Let people feel good about supporting you. Be willing to relinquish some control. Delegating is one thing, trying to control every aspect of care is another. People will be less likely to help if you micromanage, give orders, or insist on doing things your way.

Make use of technology. Even if you can't delegate certain responsibilities to others, you may still be able to use gadgets to lighten your load. A medical alert system can track their location and give them the ability to call for help in case of an emergency.

As a busy caregiver, leisure time may seem like an impossible luxury. Give yourself permission to rest and to do things that you enjoy on a daily basis.

You will be a better caregiver for it. Maintain your personal relationships. These relationships will help sustain you and keep you positive. Share your feelings. The simple act of expressing what you're going through can be very cathartic.

Sharing your feelings with family or friends won't make you a burden to others. In fact, most people will be flattered that you trust them enough to confide in them, and it will only strengthen your bond.

Prioritize activities that bring you enjoyment. Find ways to pamper yourself. Topic Contents Getting Started Related Information Credits. Getting Started Caring for a family member or friend who has a disability or a chronic illness can be rewarding.

Here are some ideas: Get support. Ask family members for help. Include them in caregiving decisions. Share the tasks. Stay involved. Join a caregiver support group.

Find respite care. Look up caregiver resources in your community. Take care of yourself. Put your own health first. Be sure to schedule and go to your medical checkups. Eat a healthy diet, and get enough sleep. Taking care of yourself will help you deal with stressful situations.

Get regular exercise. Even a minute walk can relieve stress. Take a breath. Try stress reduction techniques like deep breathing and meditation.

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org , can help you locate caregiver services and choose among long-term care options. Consultation with a geriatric care manager or social worker may help you identify local services—whether you need just someone to help with household chores or a registered nurse to administer medication and other therapies.

If you're caring for someone who needs constant attention, there is no question that you will need relief at some point. Just setting aside a few minutes for a walk in the park or a chat with a friend can make a world of difference.

Mahoney says. Federal legislators have also acknowledged that unpaid caregivers need occasional vacations. In , the Lifespan Respite Care Act was passed to provide relief services for family caregivers.

You can find information on respite services available near you by going to the website of the ARCH National Respite Network, www. Over time, caregiving can take an emotional toll. Even if you have help with the actual caregiving, you're likely to need emotional support, too.

Many hospitals, health care plans, and religious organizations offer support groups for caregivers. Support groups are a good place to vent your feelings and share ideas with people who are facing similar situations.

Mahoney has found that online support groups—which don't require face-to-face participation, travel, or arranging for a substitute caregiver—have been a good alternative for some people.

If you're not comfortable with a group, a geriatric care manager may be able to provide needed support and perspective. Psychotherapy can also be valuable. Providing care for a family member may trigger a host of emotions, including inadequacy, regret, guilt, and even resentment.

Caregivers are also at increased risk of depression. A therapist can help you work through such issues and develop coping mechanisms. If you don't know where to turn, ask your clinician for a referral. Family caregiving is now acknowledged as a legitimate—though unpaid—occupation.

Federal, state, and local agencies have recognized the value of this service, and nonprofit associations like the National Alliance for Caregiving and the Family Caregiver Alliance www.

org are constantly providing new resources to make the job easier. Don't hesitate to draw upon them! As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.

No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Thanks for visiting. Drink plenty of water.

Many caregivers have trouble sleeping. Good sleep is important for health. If you have trouble getting a good night's sleep, talk to your health care professional.

It may be hard to leave your loved one in someone else's care. But taking a break can be one of the best things you do for yourself and the person you're caring for. Types of respite care include:. Caregivers who work outside the home can feel burdened.

If this describes you, think about taking a leave from your job for a time if you can afford to do so. Employees covered under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act may be able to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave a year to care for relatives.

Ask your human resources office about choices for unpaid leave. Ask for the help you need. Besides asking family and friends, use local resources for caregivers. To start, check out the national Eldercare Locator or contact your local Area Agency on Aging to learn about services in your area.

Or try your state's Aging and Disability Resource Center. You can find these resources online or in a telephone directory. There also are mobile apps and web-based services that give support to caregivers.

These services can help build coping skills and teach about caregiving. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health.

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