7 Tips for Relieving Caregiver Stress

By Blanche S. Katz, MSN, RN, GNP, The ElderCare Educator

Caregiving is stressful, partly because you are dealing with medical, financial, and time pressure that you may not have much control over. One way to deal with feeling overloaded is to recognize what you can control and what you cannot. Do what you can with the things you can control or change to interrupt the cycles of stress before it becomes physically damaging.

1. Recognize the signs of caregiver stress: headaches, anxiety, depression, guilt, anger, muscle tension, sleeping and eating problems, just to name a few common ones.

2. Learn about the illness: what to expect and what to do about certain symptoms.

3. Use resources in the community to help with care: having the right equipment or service will help to make the management easier.

4. Make time for yourself every day: have a period of respite, an interval of rest or relief, just to exercise or have some sort of recreation.

5. Ask for help from family members and friends: some people hesitate to offer help because they don't know what to do.

6. Acknowledge your feelings: talk about them or keep a journal.

Explore the possibility of an alternative work schedule: ask about flextime or working at home.