How do you manage caregiver burden?

Tips for managing stress for caregivers in Home Care in Bethesda MD: Ask for and accept help. Make a list of ways other people can help you. Focus on what you can do. The characteristics of the caregiver's abilities are directly related to the burden placed on the caregiver. For example, active coping skills and management strategies are associated with lower levels of burden for Home Care in Bethesda MD caregivers. Active strategies include “developing a broader perception of the disease” and being firm in directing the behavior of a relative13, according to Saad and his colleagues,13 the person being cared for may develop a broader perception of the illness if he gives meaning to the illness, prays for strength to move on, and reminds himself that this is something that can be expected with age.

Family support, specifically frequent visits from other family members, and the presence of a strong social network correspond to lower levels of burden for caregivers, 8,11. One study10 showed lower alcohol consumption among caregivers than among the general population, and another study24 showed no difference in the amount of alcohol consumption between caregivers and the general population. Family and individual counseling may be considered for patients with affective disorders or with a high level of burden part of the caregiver. The implications of this study make early identification of caregiver burden and appropriate intervention even more critical. In addition, higher levels of burden may be correlated with increased morbidity and mortality among caregivers.

A study22 revealed that anxiety was present in 17.5 percent of caregivers, compared to 10.9 percent of subjects in the same control group. Most caregivers aren't trained on what to do to treat a specific condition, so find helpful resources can help. Caring for someone you know and love can be rewarding, but it can also be exhausting and frustrating. Assuming all the responsibilities of providing care without regular breaks or assistance is a sure-fire recipe for caregiver burnout.

In addition, family doctors should help caregivers with coping strategies, advising them on ways to manage behavioral management problems that arise during the course of dementia. Since a family member's lack of understanding of the pathological process can worsen caregiver stress, the caregiver's knowledge of the dementia disease and available resources should be analyzed, and additional information should be provided when is necessary. More than half of caregivers told AARP that providing care increased their level of stress, worry and anxiety, and made them worry about the future.