Tips for Navigating Caregiver Burnout

The whole definition of caregiving changed after COVID enveloped the globe. The tasks and approaches toward looking after the sick, elderly, or differently abled forced friends and family members to cut back their support over time alongside fluctuating demands and limited resources. Though the weight of caregiving has always been exceptionally heavy, the pandemic only added layers of complexity to circumstances.

People are often unprepared to become HS disease caregivers

The effects of watching a loved one suffer can be quite debilitating for a caregiver’s mental health. Having seen a person in reasonably good health struggle with a serious illness can make well-wishers feel powerless and demotivated. Perhaps it’s normal to go through a whole gamut of grief and cloudy moods while helping them adjust to new daily living skills.

Those who provide informal care are often unprepared and might need help equipping themselves to become competent and better at protecting the ill. Usually, they are unaware of how to access and best utilize available resources and they sometimes neglect their own needs while they assist. Qualified health care personnel, on the other hand, are well-versed in treating their clients. but navigating the cost of professional caregiving can be expensive and exhausting.

My daughter needed lots of care and attention

In the prime years of her life, my daughter Tina was diagnosed with a chronic skin ailment known as hidradenitis suppurativa, a chronic, painful and, often, debilitating skin condition. Initially, we treated flares like just more boils caused by heat, but, as time progressed, we realized that even the strongest of antibiotics, the most powerful of painkillers or the most advanced surgery couldn’t prevent another flareup from erupting in other areas of the body where complex channels underneath the skin had formed.

These flares affected her mobility and independence, which weakened her ability to think positively. I watched her endure endless pain as she went through a series of difficult investigations, bandage dressings and complex procedures year after year. Not even words of comfort, warm soup or her favorite TV shows could bring back the smile. But she slept well whenever I caressed her back and stroked her forehead.

Sometimes it's overwhelming and guilt kicks in

Always providing so much physical and emotional attention can be draining, but it can be tough to deny help when someone need your complete attention. Guilt is a complex emotion to confront, especially when it is lingering deep inside. But it’s imperative to set realistic goals and focus on what you can provide or can do.

So, how do we cope with the demands of hidradenitis suppurativa?

Here are some tips that might help you gain ground in the long run.

• When you are the primary caregiver with no one else to shoulder responsibilities or depend on for emotional support, the situation can get overwhelming (multiplied by the power of ten). Sunlight and the outdoors are effective tools for overcoming despondency. Walking barefoot on fresh, green grass can increase the levels of endorphins in the body that help rejuvenate and calm the mind. Squeeze 10 min out and make it part of your weekly routine.¹
• Yoga helps to build strength and may relieve accumulated stress.² Balasana (child’s pose), Marjaryasana (cat pose) , Viparita karani (leg’s up the wall pose), Setubandhasana (bridge pose) are some of my favorites for calming the brain and relieving a tired back.
• Don’t let emotional eating sabotage your efforts at staying healthy during challenging times. If you’re like me and crave sweets when you are stressed, remind yourself that consumption of sucrose might alter emotional states and subsequent behaviors. Due to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels, those deep-fried glazed donuts and sweetened drinks can contribute to symptoms of anxiety and depression. Start by making changes to one meal or snack. If you have already switched to consuming jaggery or honey, give yourself a pat on the back!³
• You might forget to note a patient’s body temperature, miss giving an important dosage of medicine, get angry at their changing behaviors/ mood swings, loose patience while tending to an unresolved issue or even compare yourself with other caregivers who (you think) might be doing a better job. Stop comparing yourself to others. To err is human. So, train your mind to believe that you are doing/have done your very best.
• Good sleep hygiene aids full alertness and energy during the day. Take a warm shower before bedtime. It might help you sleep faster. Blue-light exposure from phones, television and other reading devices can interfere with your circadian rhythm. Set these aside an hour before you sleep. Also, it can be easy to succumb to the weight of negative thoughts when the dark falls and eyes start to close. Each night before bedtime, write a list of five things that you’d like to thank the universe for. Expressing gratitude can distract you from anxious thoughts that might keep you awake.⁴