Avoiding Caregiver Burnout​

The responsibilities of a caregiver can be overwhelming, even at the best of times. You may be trying to juggle the demands of work and the needs of younger family members, as well as those of the elderly, and often find that you are putting our own personal needs on hold. According to Stats Canada, in 2012, about 8.1 million individuals, or 28% of Canadians aged 15 years and older, provided care to a family member or friend with a long-term health condition, disability or aging needs.  Data from the 2012 General Social Survey showed that women represented the slight majority of caregivers at 54%. The survey also found that caregiving responsibilities most often fell to those aged 45 to 64, with 44% of caregivers in this age category
As Canada's population ages, blending paid work with the care of an older family member will become more and more common. Employers will need to be as sensitive to this as they are to concerns related to children.
The first step in managing the stress of caregiving is to build in the time to continue your own life. In the face of the undeniable needs of others, it may feel unnecessary, or even selfish, to attend to your own enjoyments and relaxation, but it is dangerous to forget the impact that stress and fatigue can have on your ability to sustain the effort. Taking time for your own life is not a luxury, but a necessity. Family, friends and community organizations can be called on to help out.
The next step is to set priorities. Ask yourself the following questions, to decide if something really has to be completed and by whom?
  • What will happen if I don't do this now?
  • Can someone else complete it? If so, who?
  • Is it something that the family can do together?
The following is a credo that other caregivers have developed and found useful to help them deal with their responsibilities. 
CAREGIVER BILL OF RIGHTS
  • To take care of myself. This is not an act of selfishness. It will give me the capability of taking better care of my relative.
  • To seek help from others even though my relative may object. I recognize the limits of my own endurance and strength.
  • To maintain facets of my own life which do not include the person I care for, just as I would if he or she were healthy. I know that I do everything that I reasonably can for this person and I have the right to do some things just for myself.
  • To get angry, be depressed, and express other difficult feelings occasionally.
  • To reject any attempt (either conscious or unconscious) to manipulate me through guilt, anger, or depression.
  • To receive consideration, affection, forgiveness, and acceptance for what I do from my loved one for as long as I offer these qualities in return.
  • To take pride in what I am accomplishing and to applaud the courage it has sometimes taken to meet the needs of my relative.
  • To protect my individuality and my right to make a life for myself that will sustain me in the time when my relative no longer needs my full-time help.
  • To expect and demand that as new strides are made in finding resources to aid physically and mentally impaired older persons in our country, similar strides will be made toward aiding and supporting caregivers.     

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