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Comments for "Caregiver Burnout: How to Deal With It & Avoid It"

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10 Responses to “Caregiver Burnout: How to Deal With It & Avoid It”
  1. Dirty Butter Says:

    As a care giver who has Parkinson's, I can say amen to everything you said. Now if I could just get myself to actually DO what you said! LOL I really do try to take care of myself, too, but sometimes things have to be done RIGHT NOW, whether it's a good time for my body to cooperate or not. I have a great support team, particularly my dear hubby. We pay for help several days a week, and Hospice helps mostly with equipment and bathing.

    I look forward to reading this blog, and I will add you to my links.

  2. Carey Says:

    i am thankful for this blog posting, but am also looking to find more ways to deal with the stress that my family is dealing with. currently, my grandfather has been placed into a nursing home and my grandmother is having some irregular heart rate problems. i am one of two grandchildren in the area, and my mother is also assisting.
    i tend to shoulder a large amount of responsibility because of the fact that i am a part time employee and a graduate student, so my schedule is more flexible, but the issue is becoming more apparent that my mother and i are becoming burnt out.
    we live together, and since money is tight for grad students, i will be living with her for the next few months, if not longer.
    how can we try to keep this situation (the grandparents) from keeping us from burning out?
    i can tell that it is approaching and don't want to reach that point.

  3. Lara Belonogoff Says:

    Carey,
    First off, you have taken the most important step—realizing that burnout is around the bend. Now comes the second challenge and that it to figure out how to stop the burnout. As with anything that has many components you need to evaluate your resources and figure out what you can manage and what others can manage. If the caregiving work is being divvied between three people, who also have other responsibilities (and you are responsible for your self and your well-being so tack that on the list too!) then you need to assess if you need more help. Finding in-home caregivers might not be financially viable for you, but hiring a young person to clean the house for your grandmother so you or your mother doesn’t need to might prove affordable. Small things can make a difference. For example, if meal preparation is taking up a lot of time stock the freezer with fast and healthy meals. On those night when you are exhausted, but you and your grandmother need a nutritious meal then one is available in minutes. Big things are important too. Does your grandmother qualify for any benefits? Check out http://www.gilbertguide.com/pdf/coverage-at-a-glance.pdf for a quick summary, but you might also want to check with your state’s Medicaid office to see if your grandmother qualifies for any help. Also looking into your area’s caregiver support groups is imperative. In the same way that new moms often band together and ask each other for favors and tips so can family caregivers join support groups and learn from others and find a place to vent their frustrations. Throughout this experience remember that you and your mother can only provide good care if you are taking care of your self. And finally the best thing you can do is arm yourself with knowledge; in this blog and website alone we have postings on all aspects of caregiving and listings of numerous resources.
    Lara

  4. Teresa Says:

    I have been taking care of my Mom, now for 3 years. She has a type of Huntingtons disease called "Chorea". When she first came to live with me, she was doing very well. In the last year, everything has gotten a whole lot worse. My sister used to help out, about every 9 months to a year. When I find myself, getting really burned out, there is no one to help. I just need a break sometimes. I had to quit my job, 2 years ago, to stay home full time with her. How can I get my siblings to understand, that I need help? I do everything for her. I bathe her, cook and cut up food for her, wash her cloths, clean up when she has accidents. I DO EVERYTHING.

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