Caregiving is not an easy job. As a caregiver, you have taken on the role of meeting the needs of someone else. When you take on this job, you don’t always consider the consequences. Often, being a caregiver for a loved senior is more out of necessity, not because the caregiver role fits in your schedule. Stress. These changes that can dramatically fill your time can also negatively impact your health. You can become withdrawn, anxious, or angry. There may be difficulty concentrating or have changed your eating habits, often without awareness. You are on the brink of burnout: you are exhausted and you are stressed.
Effects of Stress:
The American Psychological Association has found stress to impact all systems of the body. Because stress can constrict blood vessels of the body, it can cause higher blood pressure. If your stress is chronic (which a caregiver would be), then the longevity of elevated blood pressures could lead to hypertension, stroke, or heart attack. It affects your musculoskeletal system causing your muscle tension leading to pain and discomfort. Chronic stress will also affect your respiratory system, nervous system, gastrointestinal system, endocrine system, and reproductive system.
Managing Stress Levels:
Good news, Caregiver: there are ways to manage your stress levels. Yale Medicine recommends several management techniques to reduce high levels. From exercising to healthy eating to getting enough sleep; all of these good practices will decrease your stress levels. Other suggestions include setting boundaries, making time for leisure activities, and learning as well as practicing mindfulness. As a caregiver, applying these techniques can help you manage your stressors to reduce the chance of burnout.
Other options include reaching out for outside resources like at-home help or Assisted Living. These forms of caregiving may be best for you and your family. It will alleviate you from the caregiver role and allow you to relax in the time spent with your loved senior rather than use it as a necessity. Ginter Hall South is here to answer all your questions. Speak to one of our Senior Information Assistants who can share their expertise in the area of extra assistance for seniors. They will help you find the right fit for you and your loved senior.