Fatigue can wear down a caregiver

As someone who provides for your parent or other family member, you’re a true hero. People suffering from debilitating conditions or the effects of old age require constant care and attention. It takes a special type of person to provide in-home care for seniors. But over time, it’s easy to develop something called “caregiver fatigue.” Learn what it is and how you can avoid it.

What Is Caregiver Fatigue?

Caregiver fatigue is a feeling of being overwhelmed with the duties of care. It affects your heart, mind and body. Someone suffering from caregiver fatigue has a lower level of energy than normal and can’t do as much as they usually do. When you consider how much attention a senior needs, you can see how this can lead to a lower standard of care for your loved one.

This condition comes from a combination of factors. When you spend sometimes 24 hours a day taking care of someone, it causes physical exhaustion. Having to deal with the same problems every day can wear a person down and though we get nothing less, always prioritizing the needs of clients create an environment where optimal care isn’t possible.

What Can Be Done To Avoid Caregiver Fatigue?

Sometimes a caregiver needs to seek help and find time for his or herself. A common feeling among people who take time for self-care is guilt. But we ask our caregivers to take breaks and encourage each and every one to take the time they need in order to allow them to provide the best care.

Good caregivers may always feel that somehow they’re failing to meet the needs of their parents. But the truth is, if a person doesn’t take time for his or herself, the standard of care that he or she can give begins to degrade. So what can we do?

Limit Hours Per Caregiver

Far and away the best way to combat fatigue is to simply limit how long caregivers are on the clock. By refraining from extended periods of care, we can create a pace that’s sustainable for everyone. Through a rotating schedule with multiple caregivers, we make sure everyone we employ is operating in an alert state of mind and able to provide the services necessary.

Treat caregivers well

A big part of preventing caregiver burnout is to allow enough time to take care of the matters of their own lives. The fewer burdens they have weighing on their minds, the more they’re able to provide the level of care required for our clients. Here are a few things we suggest:

    • Take care of the basics: If a caregiver lives apart from a patient and sleeps in his or her own home, they probably have very little time to clean their living space. Taking time to finish a couple chores in their home makes it a more inviting and stress-free environment, and checks one important task off their list.
    • Get some fresh air: As much as possible, we encourage our team to seek time outdoors. Research has shown that something as simple as going for walks and getting some sun can immediately help morale and improve work performance. This can have tremendous physical and psychological benefit. Other forms of exercise also reduce stress levels and leave our caretakers better able to provide for your loved one.
  • Focused hobbies: Books, crossword puzzles and other focused distractions provide mental stimulation that keep caretakers sharp. By focusing fully on a single task unrelated to caretaking, they’re able to recharge their minds and always be ready for the days ahead. We ask all of our team members to remember that this kind of time is going to benefit the people under their care.

What other resources help to alleviate caregiver fatigue?

Sometimes a caregiver just needs an extra hand. There’s no shame in turning to a professional for assistance. We’ve got years of experience in helping our caregivers manage a realistic schedule and making sure they’re always in position to provide their best support.

Look to Adultcare Assistance For Fatigue-Free Caregivers

Adultcare Assistance is Arizona’s top-tier care provider for elderly and infirm people. We’ve been in business for over 20 years and are locally owned. During this time we’ve been voted the “Best of Arizona” for 10 years, plus many other awards. Hospitals and private citizens all over the region trust our level of care, and you can, too.

We offer many different levels of service. You can opt for a 24/7 live-in caregiver, or schedule relief visits for specific times. With an on-call service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, there’s always someone here for you who’s ready to listen and who can dispatch an assistant to your location.Our standard of care is the same level that we would offer to our own loved ones.

Caregiver fatigue is a real condition that affects many people. It’s not a personal failure, but rather a consequence of taking care of a loved one in a difficult time. You deserve caregivers who are always at their best, and we do everything we can to make sure that’s what you get. Trust our expert staff to take on part of the load for you. There’s no need to keep on suffering, call us or fill out the contact form on this site to schedule a consultation today.