Family members are often eager to step up to care for their senior loved ones. While they may start off full of energy, they soon find they feel more tired than they imagined was possible. Caregiver fatigue can have several causes, and each one has a solution to help you regain your vitality.
1. Having More Chores to Tackle
The average person already has a lot on his or her plate. Before becoming a caregiver, you likely had household tasks to tend to each day. Now, your daily workload might have doubled. Trying to keep up with the extra demand created by caring for another person is simply exhausting. If possible, look for a chore or two you can take off your plate. Being able to opt out of cooking a meal once or twice a week can feel like a major burden has been lifted from your shoulders.
Families who need help caring for a senior loved one can turn to Senior Stride Home Care, a leading provider of elderly home care. Services available in our customizable care plans include meal prep, mental and social stimulation, assistance with personal hygiene tasks, and much more.
2. Managing Fear & Anxiety
Your physical feelings of exhaustion might be linked to your mental health. Many people constantly worry about what might go wrong each day. For instance, you may be worried about your loved one having an accident on your watch, or you may be stressing out over his or her recent health test results. Try to identify times when you’re feeling anxious so you can implement coping strategies. Mindfulness can help you ease the worry you feel each day.
3. Being Required to Lift a Senior
Seniors often need more help as time goes by, and this means you may be called upon to help them do things such as get out of bed. Lifting your loved one isn’t something you should try to do by yourself. While you might lend support as your loved one moves mostly independently, you need to ask for help when he or she requires you to support most of his or her body weight to prevent you from overtaxing your muscles. In addition to giving you more energy, you’ll also reduce the chances of a caregiver injury.
4. Getting Less Sleep
Think back to the last time you got at least eight hours of sleep. If it’s been a while, your loved one needs overnight care. Your loved one’s frequent bathroom trips or tendency to wander around the house late at night might be interfering with your energy levels more than you realize. An overnight caregiver can manage those needs while you catch up on your sleep.
Professional caregivers can be a wonderful source of information and support for family members caring for aging loved ones. When researching agencies that provide home care service, Oshkosh, WI, families are usually looking for flexible care plans, compassionate and highly trained caregivers, and 24/7 availability. Whether you need respite care to take a break from your caregiving duties or your senior loved one needs around-the-clock assistance at home, you can rely on Senior Stride Home Care.
5. Developing Caregiver Burnout
You can love your parent and still be overwhelmed by everything involved with his or her care. Caregiver burnout tends to occur over time, and you may not notice you’re experiencing it until you don’t have the energy to complete your daily responsibilities. Caregiver burnout can sometimes feel like depression, but it’s different. Depression can accompany caregiver burnout. If you feel like burnout might be your problem, hiring a professional counselor can help. You may also need to accept assistance with your duties to help you effectively manage burnout.
Whether you need respite from your caregiving duties or your aging loved one needs live-in care, Oshkosh, WI, Senior Stride Home Care can meet your family’s care needs. Our dedicated caregivers are available around the clock to provide transportation to doctor’s appointments, ensure seniors take their prescribed medications, and help with a variety of tasks in and outside the home. Call one of our dedicated Care Managers today at 920-717-1767 to learn about the high quality of our in-home care services.