Caregivers, Stress, and the Family

First, stress among caregivers can be a common condition that can often go unnoticed. Because the caregiver is helping a family member with a debilitating condition, often times attention will be paid to the condition of the loved one who is ill and not the stress of the caregiver; furthermore caregivers can feel guilty drawing attention to their stress, thus taking attention away from the loved one who is truly ill.

Of course caregiver stress is a very serious condition, one that can severely damage the health of the caregiver and even the person being cared for. Family members should therefore take it upon themselves to check in and keep track of the caregiver’s condition and look for signs of caregiver stress, which can include:

- Lack of sleep
- Inability to fall asleep
- Anxiousness and nervousness
- Feelings of depression and ineffectualness
- A general withdrawing from social interactions
- Feelings of anger and irritability
- Feelings of exhaustion
- Health problems (a lack of appetite, etc.)

Spending time with caregivers in your family and looking for any of these symptoms can help determine whether or not caregiver stress has taken hold.

If you feel like a caregiver you know has any of the above symptoms and may need some help, consider some of the following options:

- Talk to them, so you can get a sense of why they’re frustrated and what you might be able to do to help.
- Check out different options that might be available for caregivers in the community (examples include adult daycare, onsite/in home caregivers, support groups, etc.)
- Offer your own support and help (in the form of verbal encouragement, assistance with their caregiver jobs, assistance with other errands (cooking, cleaning, etc.), alerting other family members to the problem so they can help out too.
- Remind caregivers of the importance of taking care of themselves and not feeling guilty for doing so.

Often times family members can feel detached from related caregivers as they aren’t able to understand exactly what the caregiver is going through or how to help. Of course, the easiest thing to do is ask, but sometimes it is hard to break through the caregiver’s initial responses to see what’s really going on. Researching the condition of the loved one in need of care can help give you a better idea of what the caregiver is dealing with, and also give you a better idea of how you can help.

If you are worried that a loved one is experiencing caregiver stress, try some of the ideas offered above, and continue offering your support and attention as much as possible. Sometimes that is the best anyone can offer and can be the start of building a relationship of trust and support that can defuse and prevent the difficult condition of caregiver stress.

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