Caregiver Stress

When an aging loved one's health begins to fail, families are confronted by a variety of challenging decisions. Making care decisions for aging parents has been identified as a significant life stressor.

Caregiving is a stressful job even during the best of times. Don't be too hard on yourself if you blow up from time to time but do look for reasons why you are feeling angry or frustrated and learn how to offer a sincere apology.

Caregivers desperately need to decompress and lift their spirits. One way to go about reducing caregiver stress is to teach yourself how to laugh despite the everyday challenges of caring for an aging loved one.

Stress is normal for caregivers. But constant worrying, unrelenting doubts and pre-occupation with worst-case scenarios can be unproductive and even paralyzing. Recognize the triggers of anxiety, stop worrying and reduce stress in daily life.

Whether you’re taking care of a spouse or caring for elderly parents, stress can play a big part in being a caregiver. Learn to recognize the signs of caregiver stress and discover ways to decrease the strain you’re under.

The heavy burden of caregiving can gradually overwhelm even the most devoted and best prepared individuals. Take a caregiver burden assessment to determine your level of burnout and find resources to reduce the stress of caring for an aging loved one.

Relationships are often strained when a serious illness and caregiving enter the picture. But, if your interactions with certain relatives are increasingly stressful and negative, it may be time to shut down family drama once and for all.

Although caregivers are often cautioned against the dangers of burnout, there is an even more serious phenomenon called compassion fatigue that can be detrimental to both care providers and recipients.

Knowing at what point dementia patients need 24-hour care is critical. Spot the signs it's time for memory care to improve a patient's quality of life.

It’s easy to get caught up in caregiving and let your own needs take a backseat, but your physical and mental health directly affect the quality of care you provide. Put yourself first by learning how to prioritize self-care and prevent caregiver burnout.

Grief is an inescapable part of caregiving. We mourn an aging loved one’s physical and cognitive losses as they decline and eventually mourn their death. Self-care is vital to a caregiver’s physical and mental health throughout the grieving process.

After more than 40 years, my childhood friend and I reconnected several years ago and were amazed to find that we fell back into step after all of those years. Our common connection: caregiving.

Adult day care is an often underused service by those taking care of elderly loved ones. For dementia caregivers, utilizing adult day care services may help significantly reduce caregiving stress.

Caregivers often face challenging decisions regarding their loved ones’ care. Here are some strategies for maintaining your sanity, even when making the most difficult choices.

Caregiver burnout doesn't happen all at once—it often sneaks up on you when you least expect it. Learn how to recognize the signs of increasing stress, understand your own limits and maintain honest self-awareness throughout the caregiving journey.

Caregivers are faced with overwhelming stress and difficult care decisions daily. Finding opportunities to laugh and ways to incorporate a little humor into your routine will lift your spirits and bring proven health benefits.

Family caregivers often find themselves in high-stress, high-stakes situations where anxiety and depression can quickly take root. Left unchecked, these natural emotions can endanger a caregiver’s health and even be transferred to their care recipient.

Finding time to sleep is one of the hardest things for a caregiver to do, but these six reasons demonstrate why caregiver respite should be a priority in any elder care plan.

Feelings of anger, frustration and resentment are all too common when caring for an aging loved one. Identifying how you cope with these emotions can help you devise strategies for managing caregiver anger in healthier ways.

By participating in a support group and interacting with one’s peers, caregivers can combat loneliness, stress and caregiver burnout while improving their mood and receiving personalized advice and encouragement.