Caregivers – What stage of burnout are you experiencing?
Caregiver burnout can look like many different things: it might build slowly over time, you could have a lack of self-care, an increase in irritability, possible health issues overlooked or newly developed in the caregiver, a zapping of energy, etc. Ironically, the better you are at caregiving, the higher risk you are for burnout.
There are four common stages of burnout in the caregiver role:
- Enthusiasm – eager and ready to take on the new role. Hint: now is the time to review realistic expectations.
- Stagnation – thoughts like, this will never end. Hint: what new things can you learn to help make things more manageable? For example, if your spouse has dementia I recommend reading, Floating in the Deep End, by Patti Davis, Ronald Reagan’s daughter who cared for him.
- Frustration – I cannot deal with my loved one’s demands for another second. Hint: Find something ASAP to break up your day, to get a break, a respite, and get out of the house.
- Apathy – I do not care about any of this. At this point the caregiver is “toast”, there is zero enthusiasm. Nothing seems to matter and you get to decide to make it matter. Hint: call in support and back up quickly.
This is why I developed my practice of coaching the burned-out caregiver. Message me for a free session and help with getting out of any of these stages or staying put if so desired. There is hope, I promise. See my website for testimonials of folks just like you.
