Caregiver Burnout

If you are a primary caregiver for a loved one, you are well aware of the daily stress and emotional and physical impact it can have on your health.

Susan learned this first hand when she and her husband, Dave brought his mom home to live with them. Mom suffered from dementia and had to be watched constantly. Susan found that when you become a caregiver, you start by giving up a few things you usually do for yourself to make up for the time needed for care giving. Even though your service is one of love and you are willing to do the sacrifice on behalf of your loved one, you find yourself giving up a lot more as time goes on.

"As a caregiver," Susan laments, "You are often frustrated that you can't do enough for your loved one and so guilt and feelings of inadequacy set in. Couple that with feelings of being unduly burdened, of resentment, of stress and then of more guilt at having those feelings."

She continues, "Now don't get me wrong, I am very glad that I spent those years in care giving. There were many cherished moments with Mom that only I experienced."

In order to enjoy those moments and sustain your care giving momentum, a little respite is essential.

One source of help can be Adult Day Care, which provides respite for the caregiver to have time to themselves and gives the loved one some social and interactive therapy with their peers. Finding an Adult Day Care Services provider takes a little investigating on your part. It is important to know what you are getting and that your loved one is comfortable with his or her new surroundings.

Ask for recommendations from your local Senior Center, Area Agency on Aging or your family physician. The best recommendation is by someone who has used the adult day care service or is familiar with those who run it.

Call the facility and ask them to send you information, including the application, eligibility requirements and payment information. Also ask about the activities, menus, hours of operation and the possibility of transportation to and from the facility.

Once you are comfortable with their program go visit the facility with your loved one and take a tour to insure everyone is on board with the plan. Don't be surprised to find some resistance but keep in mind that although you may be made to feel guilty it's imperative that you take care of yourself so you can continue being a healthy caregiver!