{"id":15312,"date":"2019-09-04T06:44:42","date_gmt":"2019-09-04T06:44:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/?p=15312"},"modified":"2019-09-04T06:47:31","modified_gmt":"2019-09-04T06:47:31","slug":"caregiver-burnout-and-how-to-manage-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/caregiver-burnout-and-how-to-manage-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Caregiver Burnout and How to Manage It"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2015 there were 2.7 million unpaid carers in Australia<\/a>. Around 32% of these are primary carers, providing the most informal assistance to another individual. Most primary carers provide more than 20 hours a week of care<\/a>, which is a huge commitment that can be difficult to take on in addition to the carer\u2019s other responsibilities. Over time, the emotional and physical energy that is required for caring can start to take its toll. In extreme cases, the carer may experience caregiver burnout.<\/p>\n

What is Caregiver Burnout?\u00a0<\/h2>\n

Caregiver burnout occurs when the carer becomes physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted from the stress of caring for their loved one. This is compounded if they feel alone, do not have support from other family members, or don\u2019t feel that all of the work that they do is appreciated.<\/p>\n

As caregiving has taken over their life, caregivers will often forget to take care of themselves and may become depressed<\/a>. If this goes on for too long, they may eventually lose complete interest in caring for themselves and the person that they are looking after. If this happens and it is not seen to, the caregiver will not physically be able to take good care of their loved one. As such, it has a detrimental effect on not only the carer but also the person in their care.<\/p>\n

What are the Signs and Symptoms\u00a0of Caregiver Burnout?<\/h2>\n

There are several warning signs that can indicate that burnout may be likely before it occurs. If you know the signs to look out for, you can monitor them and take steps to minimise the stress that you are experiencing before it becomes more serious.<\/p>\n

The following are the most common early signs and symptoms of caregiver burnout:<\/p>\n